Thread by @imtryam

The new year begins and I usher into a scientific journey where I shall be challenging myself with scientific quest and reviewing a scientific article/blog/interview/technique or facts on a daily basis. (or at least try😉) #365DaysOfScience
Let the journey begin.

The most cited article (over 300,000 times) is the @jbiolchem paper for a technique to estimate protein concentration in a solution. The paper is "Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent".
#365DaysOfScience
Image: @nature

Yes, the classic Lowry's method was published in May 1951. This is a colourimetric assay which gives an estimation of the amount of protein based on a standard curve obtained from a protein of known concentration (usually BSA).
#365DaysOfScience

Today I reviewed another classic paper from @PNASNews by Fred Sanger in Oct 1977. Revolutionising the DNA sequencing, this paper entitled "DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors" earned him (jointly w/ Paul Berg & Walter Gibert) the @NobelPrize of 1980 #365DaysOfScience

Commonly known as Sanger sequencing method or chain termination method, it relies on the synthesis of DNA from dNTPs and intermittent termination of elongating sequence by incorporation of dideoxy NTPs. #365DaysOfScience

These ddNTPs lack 3'OH to make a phosphodiester bond and hence no further elongation. The sequenced products when run on a denaturing gel, show the pattern of sequence of termination and hence the sequence. #365DaysOfScience

Currently, ddNTPs are fluorophore tagged which are detected in automated sequencers. It is still relevant for small scale sequencing projects or validating the robust Next Gen Sequencing. #365DaysOfScience

One of the foundation techniques in molecular Biology is PCR, conceptualized by Kary Mullis. Very simple and elegant method to exponentially amplify multiple copies of DNA based on primers and a thermostable DNA polymerase. #365DaysOfScience

The polymerase isolated from Thermus aquaticus, a thermophilic bacteria that can tolerate well up to 80 degrees Celcius. it has been modified into different PCRs and continues as the need be. #365DaysOfScience

Selective DNA isolation and amplification, research & forensics, and diagnostic applications of this amazing technique continue to assist researchers in innumerable ways. Led to @NobelPrize of 1993 being awarded to Kary Mulis #365DaysOfScience

@NobelPrize Patient care is one of the prime aims of the research. I reviewed one fine POSIDEION study from @SalviSundeep
& @AnuragAgrawalMD; one of the leading medical researcher of India, published in @LancetGH #365DaysOfScience

In this fine study, they aim to find the prevalence of symptoms and medical conditions for a patient to visit a primary health setup in India. #365DaysOfScience

This was 1-day, point-prevalence study across 880 cities and towns in India involving 204912 patients visiting the 7400 primary health-care practitioners. To nullify seasonal disease pattern predictability & to avoid sociocultural biases, 1st Feb 2011 was chosen #365DaysOfScience

The most common presenting symptom was fever while respiratory diseases account for more than 50% of all prevalent symptoms followed by digestive diseases. This data has to be implicated in public health research and disease epidemiology in a developing country. #365DaysOfScience

Always a delight to watch Eureka on @rajyasabhatv. In this episode Venky Ramakrishnan narrates his journey from MSU Baroda to the president of the @royalsociety. #365DaysOfScience

A man of physics changes stream and done miracles in molecular biology and receives @NobelPrize in Chemistry. What an inspiration.
#365DaysOfScience

Looking forward to listening to Prof Ramakrishnan on "My Adventure in the Ribosomes" on Jan 24th at our own Institute. Thank you TNQ for hosting this distinguished lecture series.

Bridging the gap between "adapter hypothesis" to unraveling the mechanism of translation assisted by Hoagland, Palade, Moore White and particularly Ada Yonath (obtained 3 dimensional crystals of 50S subunit) has been well illustrated. #365DaysOfScience 📃
nobelprize.org/prizes/chemist…

News headlines may appear catchy but Prof Keith Knuston from @MayoClinic paves the way in Cancer research. Targeting Folate Receptor Alpha in different subtypes of Breast Cancer; particularly TNBC is a landmark shift in vaccinology. #365DaysOfScience

advancingthescience.mayo.edu/2019/03/26/alu…

Wishing the vaccine luck which is likely to enter phase II clinical trial in 2020. TNBC patients are supposed to be more benefitted from this since high mortality, relapse and absence of targeted therapy makes TNBC deadliest of all subtypes of Breast Cancer. #365DaysOfScience

“Whether I’m at Mayo Clinic, at home or on vacation, my vaccine work is always on my mind. Rather than get me down, these personal stories motivate me to work even harder. But I’ll be happy when we don’t have to hear them anymore.” says Prof Knuston @MayoClinic #365DaysOfScience

In his @CCR_AACR article entitled "Folate Receptor Alpha Peptide Vaccine Generates
Immunity in Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients" Dr Knuston conducts phase I trial to assess immunogenicity and safety profile for their vaccine. #365DaysOfScience

Endogenous immunity associated with elevated expression of Folate Receptor Alpha in case of Ovarian and Breast Cancer among others, are employed in this vaccination project to improve overall Disease Free Survival. #365DaysOfScience

Native Folate receptor alpha has been identified as a potential tumor antigen due to its aberrant
expression in a variety of cancers, including ovarian and
breast cancer & are naturally targeted. The vaccine is multiepitope FR-a peptide that elicited a response. #365DaysOfScience

It is concluded that vaccine is tolerable in phase I trial of 22 patients at @MayoClinic and amplified immune response which persisted for 12 months after a median induction period of 5 months. Thus, it is safe and phase II trials are awaited. #365DaysOfScience

@MayoClinic In today's #365DaysOfScience, will be exploring BLAST. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. It is used to find similarity between two sequences (nucleotides, amino acids, and among translated nucleotides). Extensively used sequence analysis tool since its inception in 1991 at @NCBI

It enables researchers to obtain similar sequences to the query, available in the large pool of sequence database @NCBI generated over decades by statistical significance of the matches obtained. #365DaysOfScience

on NCBI, the results are given in a graphical format showing alignments for the sequence of interest and the hits received with corresponding BLAST scores, a table showing sequence identifiers for the hits with scoring related data. #365DaysOfScience
🔗blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi

This tool enables researchers to obtain similar sequences to the query, available in the database by statistical significance of the matches obtained.
It is quick, accurate and useful for targetting amino acid sequences with nucleotide query and vice versa. #365DaysOfScience

It also helps to unearth the evolutionary relationship between sequences and in identification of gene families. Also, there is a PRIMER BLAST to assist in designing and evaluating primers for PCRs. Added tool for in silico PCR finds its foundation in BLAST. #365DaysOfScience

Apart from various web-based tools of primer design, submitted here is "in silico PCR" which is an equally important prerequisite to a PCR. Before undertaking wet lab PCR, it is recommended to validate the efficiency and specificity of newly designed primers. #365DaysOfScience

In silico primer validation is also accompanied by checking for secondary structure; hairpin loop/dimer formation. Here is a great tool "OlogoCalc" from @NorthwesternU to check Tm and self complementarity of the primers.
#365DaysOfScience
biotools.nubic.northwestern.edu/OligoCalc.html

The output file from one of the most used tools from @ucsc genome browser yields sequences in a FASTA format containing the sequences that lie amidst the primer pairs. #365DaysOfScience
Image: @GenomeBrowser

@ucsc @GenomeBrowser It has been a great pleasure to review @TheLancetPsych paper on today's #365DaysOfScience on mental disorders, pattern/burden on Indian states jointly conducted by @ICMRDELHI @ProfBhargava @thePHFI, in collaboration with @BMGFIndia @MoHFW_INDIA

In this explorative study, the prevalence and disease burden of each mental disorder (contributed mostly by depressive & anxiety disorders, followed by schizophrenia & bipolar disorder) across the states of India has been described from a period of 1990 to 2017. #365DaysOfScience

Distribution and trends of mental disorders for the Indian states is a requirement for a country like ours looking at its vast socio-cultural and demographic terrain. #365DaysOfScience

Findings: The proportional contribution of mental disorders to the total disease burden in India almost doubled from 1990 to 2017. One out of seven Indians has suffered from Mental disorders (mostly by depression and anxiety) of varied magnitude in 2017. #365DaysOfScience

Also reported in this study is a positive relationship between depressive disorders and suicide death rates at the state level, with suicide death rates being higher in the southern states than in the northern ones. #365DaysOfScience

Despite no gender-specific traits in the overall status, the prevalence of depressive, anxiety, and eating disorders were significantly higher in females while the prevalence of conduct, autism spectrum, & ADHD was substantially higher in males than in females. #365DaysOfScience

The higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in females might be attributed to gender discrimination, violence, sexual abuse, antenatal and postnatal stress, and adverse socio-cultural norms. Reports the paper. #365DaysOfScience

The Ayushman Bharat initiative aims to provide care against mental disorders in addition to comprehensive primary health care and health insurance coverage for non-communicable diseases. These findings may serve a roadmap for a future course of action.#365DaysOfScience

Another Eureka Episode on @rajyasabhatv with Prof Chitra Sarkar, renowned neuropathologist, a great teacher and able administrator at AIIMS, New Delhi.
#365DaysOfScience
📺

Hers is a journey of a dream that is sown & shaped by the family and nourished & nurtured from the stalwarts of the pathology & neurosciences of the country. #365DaysOfScience

Her publications and collaborations with basic scientists and clinicians make her a bridge between basic and translational research. A giant of neuropathology with over 250+ publication, Prof. Sarkar is a perfect role model of Indian women in STEM. #365DaysOfScience

"Passion, hard-work and sincerity. That leads to the road to success." With this message, Chitra ma'am, our Dean Research and Head Pathology Deptt. signs off. #365DaysOfScience

A pandemic close to me is AIDS. Despite the contradiction from HIV denialists {Kary Mullis (PCR fame) and Peter Duesberg} HIV is the causative agent of AIDS. Today's #365DaysOfScience will be dedicated to the story behind; from @NEJM article from Robert Gallo & Luc Montagnier.

Though the virus has a long lag phase, the immune suppressive phase is overpowered by opportunistic infections or cancer. There is a significant decrease in the levels of CD4+ T cells. It transmits through blood & sexual activity, as well as from mother to kids. #365DaysOfScience

Since its inception in Gay people across the LA and New York in the late 1970s, the hunt of the causative agent of AIDS narrowed down to two theories.
One: It was closely related to HTLV. (Human T-cell Leukemia Virus)
Two: It was a retrovirus.
#365DaysOfScience

"The idea that the causative agent of AIDS should be sought in swollen lymph nodes was partly right, since we now know that lymphnodes are the main site where the virus hides during the presymptomatic phase." Write the authors/discoverers of HIV. #365DaysOfScience

The Virus was isolated in Luc Montagnier's laboratory at Pasteur Institute in Paris from lymph-node–biopsy specimen from a patient with lymphadenopathy. Since lymphnodes are the primary sites where it harbours. #365DaysOfScience

The validation of HIV responsible for AIDS:
1 Isolation of HIV-2 in West African AIDS patients.
2 Drugs targeting HIV enzymes are clinically efficacious.
3 Mutations in one of the coreceptors for HIV (CCR5) makes some highly resistant to HIV infection & AIDS.
#365DaysOfScience

We still have terrible stats advocating more research on this deadly virus. @CDC_HIVAIDS @HIVGov @UNAIDS @MoHFW_INDIA
unaids.org/en/resources/d…
Image: @UNAIDS

@CDC_HIVAIDS @HIVGov @UNAIDS @MoHFW_INDIA @UNAIDS_AP @UNAIDSciencenow @UNAIDS_ESA @UNAIDSCaribbean Back to classics. Today I review the discovery of Reverse Transcriptase, independently by David Baltimore from @MIT and Howard Temin from @UWMadison in 1970. #365DaysOfScience

This is rather the story of emerging victorious when placed in the turbulent times. A considerable leap in science that galvanized public support and brought in funding in Cancer research. Also, instrumental in the discovery of HTLV and HIV.
#365DaysOfScience

This was a breakthrough discovery as it challenged two theories of that time.
One. Central dogma: Irreversible flow of genetic
information from DNA-RNA-Protein
Two. Fundamental unit of life. “What’s true for E. coli is true for the elephant.
It challenged both.
#365DaysOfScience

Mentored by Dulbecco (plaque assay fame), Temin isolated and studied Rous Sarcoma Virus from chicken embryo fibroblast cultures. #365DaysOfScience

He proposed the provirus hypothesis as the single-stranded viral RNA was 'somehow' copied into DNA early after infection, and that DNA was subsequently integrated into the cell’s genomic DNA, serving as the template for viral RNA synthesis. #365DaysOfScience

This theory was supported by his students, particularly a postdoc Satoshi Mizutani with whom he authored the final paper in record time (submitted 15 June, published 27 June). #365DaysOfScience

The Baltimore group isolated the Reverse Transcriptase enzymes from avian and murine retroviruses, which could use cellular mRNA as a template to synthesize complementary DNA. #365DaysOfScience

Image: Fundamentals of Mol Virology by Nicholas Acheson, Wiley

It made headlines; “Central Dogma Reversed." The phenomenon of reverse transcription is now known as "Teminism" and scientists get the adjective "Teminists". These two geniuses with their mentor Renato Dulbecco were awarded 1975 @NobelPrize in Physio or Medicine
#365DaysOfScience

@NobelPrize The "Central Dogma of Molecular Biology" was authored by Francis Crick in @nature in Aug 1970. This has more been a communication over the controversy erupted after Temin & Mizutani paper describing the phenomenon of reverse transcription in June 1970. #365DaysOfScience

"The central dogma of molecular biology deals with the detailed residue-by-residue transfer of sequential information. It states that such information cannot be transferred from protein to either protein or nucleic acid." He quotes in the paper. #365DaysOfScience

Dr. Crick classifies the flow of information into three classes.
I. General: DNA➡️DNA➡️RNA➡️Protein
II. Possible under special circumstances: RNA➡️RNA➡️DNA➡️Protein
III. Unknown: Protein➡️Protein➡️RNA/DNA

#365DaysOfScience

Dr. Crick remains firm since postulating the central dogma in 1958 that backflow of information from Protein to Nucleic acids is not possible.

On his selective mention of class I type of transfer in the Central dogma, he clarifies in @nature..
#365DaysOfScience

Reality check may be a humbling experience. Here are some excerpts.

Courtesy: @nature

#365DaysOfScience

A fascinating field of bioinformatics. In today's #365DaysOfScience I am presenting a brief bio-sketch of Margaret Oakley Dayhoff. Dubbed as "mother and father of bioinformatics". Professor Dayhoff pioneered the vast emerging field of bioinformatics.
Image: @nlm_news

In order to describe the sequence of amino acids, three alphabet symbol (Gly for Glycine) was used. In a simple and data save mode she assigned single alphabet (G for Glycine) to each amino acid that ensured reduced data size for a sequence. #365DaysOfScience

She was also instrumental in the application of mathematics & computational methods in evolving the biochemistry and medicine. She created the first publicly available protein database in her publication "Atlas of Protein Sequences and Structure" for researchers
#365DaysOfScience

Published in 1965, this book has a collection of all known protein sequences by that time which was regularly updated. In 1971 the 'Protein Information Resource', the first on-line database system accessible by telephone line was launched. #365DaysOfScience

It was Professor Dayhoff who envisioned a publicly available database accessible to scientific community for the identification of protein sequence from a query, predicting the sequence and browsing. #365DaysOfScience

She dreamt of shared information platform in a time when scientists were sceptical of their sequence information and avoided submitting on public platform. A genius. Ahead of her times. @4womeninscience @Women_Research @CSHL_WISE
#365DaysOfScience

@4womeninscience @Women_Research @CSHL_WISE Let's review epigenetics in today's #365DaysOfScience. It is known as heritable changes in phenotype that do not involve changes at the DNA sequence level.

Image: @Wikimedia

The intricate biological diversity of all life forms is stored in the form of nucleic acids, either DNA or RNA. The eukaryotic genetic material: DNA is a long, threaded structure housed within the nucleus.
#365DaysOfScience

The histone proteins which are complexed with DNA, even though being non-genetic material contribute towards the genetic makeup of the individual to a greater extent. The alteration of DNA or histone proteins directly influences the trait of the species. #365DaysOfScience

There lie significant post-translational modifications (PTMs) in histone core proteins that overwrite chromatin instructions. These covalent additions in histone include methylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, GlcNAcylation.
#365DaysOfScience

Writer, Reader & Erasers:
A set of enzymes that modulate PTMs.
Writers add specific groups to Histone core.
Erasers serve the opposite of it by removing the PTMs.
Readers are the group of enzymes that recognize PTMs and set of modifications. Image: @NatImmunol
#365DaysOfScience

@NatImmunol I glanced upon a @CellPressNews paper from Dr. J.M. van Deursen entitled "Two-Step Senescence-Focused Cancer
Therapies" Authors discuss Induction of senescence as a therapy to cancer while considering its detrimental effects in pathology. #365DaysOfScience

They suggest "A two-step anticancer therapeutic concept, senescence-inducing chemotherapy followed by senotherapy (removal of senescent cells), may represent a viable option to maximize therapeutic efficiency and patient outcome". #365DaysOfScience

Senescent cells are cell cycle arrested but metabolically active that contribute towards premature/natural ageing and also to age-related diseases. It is described as tumor protective mechanism to prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer-prone cells. #365DaysOfScience

Induction of senescence can occur in tissues adjacent to the tumors due to oncogene activation, therapy induced, or even aging related. #365DaysOfScience

CDKN2A, gene encoding tumor suppressor protein p16, has shown frequent alteration neoplastic lesions. It is indicated that disruption of the senescence is a major event during human tumor development. #365DaysOfScience

Authors suggest the application of senotherapy in combination with currently used cancer therapies. The complex crosstalk between immune surveillance in tumorigenesis and cellular senescence requires experimentation in animal models. #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience I viewed interview of Prof GK Rath, Head of NCI Jhajjar, Chief Dr BRA Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, AIIMS and a giant in Radiation Oncology interview in Eureka on @rajyasabhatv. @NciHead

He begins with "Cancer, a deadly disease is an absolute myth". #365DaysOfScience

"Cancer is a fantastic disease. Diseases affecting the mankind are of four categories. Heart Disease, Cancer, stroke and Trauma. Out of all these Cancer is only disease which is 60% preventable, early diagnosable and curable." #365DaysOfScience

In recent past Polio and Small Pox has been eradicated. He assures Cervical cancer will soon be finished in next 15 years. The incidence rate of cervical cancer has dropped from 40/lakhs to 10/lakh in a period of 20 years. #365DaysOfScience

In India the most prone age group for Cancer is 40-60. That is one decade earlier than the US. He uses different data generated in collaboration with @ICMRDELHI to highlight the severity of disease. #365DaysOfScience

How mentorship helps. He credits Prof Ramalingaswami (prev AIIMS director and DG ICMR) for him taking up Cancer research. In the times when surgery, medicine, gynae and paediatrics was preferred choice. #365DaysOfScience

What a humble, down to earth and very approachable oncologist, administrator and researcher he is. Glad to have some collaborative projects going on with Prof Rath. @NciHead
#365DaysOfScience

It was honour listening to Prof. Seyed E. Hasnain in scientific lecture series organized by @SysAiims. In his keynote address, he talked about impact of technology and recent advances in modern healthcare. #365DaysOfScience

He pioneered DNA fingerprinting research in India. His talk was on how modern technology has elevated life expectancy across the world. Clonings, Genomics, CRSPR/Cas9 have impacted lives and paved ways for personalized medicine. Here is the prized possession.
#365DaysOfScience

Lysis of cancerous cells by a newly discovered T Cell receptor, bypassing noncancerous cells is a remarkable discovery from Crowther et. al. In today's #365DaysOfScience I am reviewing their @NatImmunol article published yesterday @alanlparker @cardiffuni
rdcu.be/b0zbE

The powerful CRISPR–Cas9 screening has been employed to discover evolutionarily conserved, monomorphic MHC class 1-related protein MR1 which recognized cancer cells invariably across the human population. #365DaysOfScience

Promising preliminary results with new T cell clone MC.7.G5; (PBMCs isolated T cell population that proliferated in response to A549 cell line) which killed a broad range of cancer cells advances the current understandings of T-cell cancer therapy. #365DaysOfScience

This will be a significant augmentation to current T-cell therapies to render T cell clone to recognize and destroy tumor population originating from different tissues and organs. #365DaysOfScience

The MC.7.G5 isolated from the PBMCs of stage IV melanoma patients even steered patient T cells to kill autologous cancer cells without causing any pathological outcome in healthy cells. This affirms the therapeutic potential of targeting MR1 on cancer cells.
#365DaysOfScience

Authors anticipate the immense power of genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 screening as a discovery platform for unconventional T cell ligands which would rapidly revolutionize the unconventional T cell field by revealing more ligands. #365DaysOfScience

"Discovery of MR1-restricted ligands recognized by MC.7.G5-like T cells may further open up opportunities for therapeutic vaccination for many cancers in all individuals." conclude authors. #365DaysOfScience

Published a day before yesterday, is this article in @NatureComms which sheds light on the response to anti-HER2-based therapy on tumor samples and preclinical models. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4146…

HER2 is a member of cell surface epidermal growth factor receptor protein superfamily, the gene amplification or protein overexpression of which leads to an aggressive form of Breast Cancer. #365DaysOfScience

HER2 enriched Breast Cancer consists of 60%, 80% & 40% of HER2+, HER2+/hormone receptor-negative and HER2+/HR+ tumors respectively. Therapeutic response to anti-HER2-based therapies has exhibited higher sensitivity in HER2-E subtype than to non-HER2-E subtypes. #365DaysOfScience

However, pathological complete response rates in HER2-E subtype following anti-HER2-based therapy, with or w/o chemotherapy are 40–80%. This forms the rationale for studying the biology associated with incomplete response to HER2- targeted therapy in HER2-E BrCa
#365DaysOfScience

Dual HER2 blockade with lapatinib and trastuzumab resulted in a significant relative increase in Luminal A and normal-like signature scores, while a relative decrease in proliferation, HER2-E and Luminal B scores. #365DaysOfScience

In combination, as expected, all anti-HER2 treatments evaluated reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner in HER2+ breast cancer cell lines BT474 (HR+) and SKBR3 (HR-). This validated the findings in patient samples. #365DaysOfScience

The discontinuation of anti-HER2 treatment revealed a rebound effect in of varying severity in BT474 and SKBR3 cell lines. #365DaysOfScience

The subtype switch, however, is reversible upon stopping anti-HER2 therapy thus endorsing maintenance therapy.
Further, the subtype switching from HER2-E to Luminal A might open an opportunity to treat the acquired phenotype with Luminal A active drugs.
#365DaysOfScience

Authors invite further clinical studies to address this preclinical hypothesis.
#365DaysOfScience

There is an interesting insight published last week in @ScienceMagazine on the transmission of noncommunicable diseases via their transmissible microbial component from @FinlayLab @CIFAR_News
Reviewing this commentary in today's #365DaysOfScience.
science.sciencemag.org/content/367/64…

Noncommunicable disease (NCDs) are not directly transmissible from one person to others, account for 70% of global deaths. Traditionally, NCDs have ruled out the possibility of microbiome focusing on genetic, environment and lifestyle factors to it.
#365DaysOfScience

Authors propose that "NCDs could have a microbial component and, if so, might be communicable via the microbiota." There is a, however, a paucity of data on to what extent the microbial dispersal between humans contributes to NCDs. #365DaysOfScience

In a study by Turnbaugh et al has shown that fecal microbiota transplant from diet-induced obese animals caused significant weight gain in germ-free lean animals. Another study has revealed of higher chances of obesity when a friend or a sibling is obese. #365DaysOfScience

Obesity is the prominent risk factor for type 2 Diabetes which, thus have a communicable component within.
The synchronization between extensively studied bacterial microbiota can be similar and also transmissible within both family and social networks.
#365DaysOfScience

"These data are consistent with the idea that a socially transmissible component contributes to obesity, representing a shared environment, including diet and lifestyle, as well as microbiota" they comment.
#365DaysOfScience

To substantiate their idea whether the microbiota can be considered an “infectious agent," authors provide a strong correlation between Koch's postulates and NCDs.
#365DaysOfScience

However, it is difficult to uncouple the environmental component from microbiota composition since they are intimately connected. Authors are hopeful that this hypothesis might induce substantial discussion and research to reach concluding validation.
#365DaysOfScience

AIIMS welcomes Prof. Venki Ramakrishnan.

Excitement pumping up.

Prof Venki begins his talk. "Biology doesn't selects for intelligence, but for survival".
#VenkiAtAIIMS #365aDaysOfScience

Cites Prof. GNR discovery of collagen triple helix
#VenkiAtAIIMS #365aDaysOfScience

DNA is a library of genes. DNA is an archival material. Cell won't let it hampered. Will make a copy. DNA➡️mRNA➡️ Protein; assisted by Ribosomes.
The central Dogma.

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365aDaysOfScience

He credits Prof Watson for pioneering some studies on Ribosomes.

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

"Only thing I accomplished during my first five years at @ohiou is I met my wife"

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

"Why I switched from Physics to Biology."

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

Doing lab work as Grad student and understanding basic biology at Undergraduate level was highlight of his stay at @UCSD
@UCSDalumni
#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

How he started his work on 30S subunit.

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

"Why I moved from Utah to MRC."

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

Big breakthrough came with 3D structure of ribosome with mRNA and tRNAs attached.

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

Human and political side of science.

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

The @NobelPrize received great reception and made headlines.
#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

Future course of action

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

Clinical importance lies in the fact that many antibiotics are fetal against mitochondrial Ribosomes.

#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

"Why my career worked out. Here is the lesson to younger generation."
#VenkiAtAIIMS #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am giving a brief account of Cancer stem cells (CSCs).

Stem cells are the primitive cells having the potential of self-renewal and differentiation into one or more cancer types. Cancer stem cells originate from tumor and diversify to generate the phenotypic diversity of the original tumor.
#365DaysOfScience

CSCs
👉Have the ability to give rise to all cell types found in particular cancer.
👉Are tumorigenic (tumor-forming)
👉Found within tumors
👉May generate tumors through the stem cell processes of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types.
#365DaysOfScience

These cells reside in a distinct microenvironment or niche from where these are hypothesized to induce relapse and metastasis by differentiating into cancer types. This has invited specific therapies against CSCs. #365DaysOfScience
Image: @Wikimedia

The CSC theory is based on
1. Tumor heterogeneity: Tumor arises from a single cell and not cells in a tumor are similar
2. Stochastic model of cancer development states that every cancer cell has the potential to form a new tumor. But that's not always supported
#365DaysOfScience

Normal Stem Cells:
Rare cells within organs with the ability to self-renew & give rise to all types of cells within the organ.
CSCs
Rare self-renewing cells within tumors that give rise to the phenotypically diverse tumor cell population to drive tumorigenesis.
#365DaysOfScience

I am reviewing a paper on 3D modeling of cancer stem cell niche where authors explain three-dimensional models of CSCs niche to understand spatial dimension, cellular heterogeneity, and the molecular networks of the tumor microenvironment #365DaysOfScience
oncotarget.com/index.php?jour…

CSCs reside in a specific niche which in addition to providing physical support, influences the functional status of CSCs. There are several models of CSCs culture that include floating culture, scaffold-based, organoid culture and organotypic culture models etc #365DaysOfScience

They highlight on understanding the complex interaction between CSCs and the niche to know the origin of CSCs, signalling pathways and to incorporate treatment mechanisms to target CSCs different cancers. #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience let's discuss #coronavirus that has caused an #CoronavirusOutbreak in Wuhan city of China. These usually affect the respiratory tract and are associated with the common cold, pneumonia, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) & bronchitis etc.

As per a study in @JVirology Human Coronavirus accounts for 15 to 30% of common colds. The corona (crown) refers to spikes projecting from the envelope of the virus.

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

Image: EM of #coronarvirus Courtesy: @CDCgov/@Wikimedia

These are enveloped positive-sense single-stranded enveloped RNA viruses from the Coronaviridae family. The structural proteins present in Coronavirus are spikes, envelope, membrane and nucleocapsid (NC).
#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

#coronavirus has the largest RNA genome (27-32 kb) of any known virus family. Interestingly, its (+ssRNA) genome has a 5′ methylated cap and a 3′ polyA tail by virtue of which it acts as mRNA and goes for translation.

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

Image: @Wikimedia

End of last year WHO has identified a novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) type which has infected 2794 people (confirmed cases) as per the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. The escalation of infection is staggering at this rate.

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

NHC confirms that the Coronavirus is transmissible among humans. To mitigate international spread Air transport screening is carried out on major cities of the world for passengers travelling from Wuhan.

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

The symptoms have precisely been flu-like, that includes; but not limited to fever, breathing difficulties and coughing. Unfortunately, the 2019-nCoV does not have an effective medical treatment or vaccine by now.

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

To prevent infection, the WHO recommends "regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing… [and] avoid[ing] close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness (such as coughing and sneezing)."

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

Techniques Tuesday.
I am reviewing Zymography today. Zymography is a highly sensitive electrophoretic technique to assess the proteolytic activity of enzymes.
#365DaysOfScience

In order to invade and metastasize, the cancer cells have to break the barrier of Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM). To achieve this, a multidomain group of proteolytic enzymes are employed that mainly consist of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs).
#365DaysOfScience

Gelatin Zymography is used to detect the gelatinase activity of matrix metalloproteinases.
#365DaysOfScience

The active site of MMPs contain Zinc ion and are released as inactive form or zymogen. In order to achieve its enzymatic activity, the N-terminal inhibitory domain is cleaved thus a reduction in overall size.
#365DaysOfScience

Since gelatinase is a secreted enzyme, a considerable portion of the enzyme is present in the media. The samples are serum-free (to prevent intrinsic gelatinase) conditioned media obtained from cells.
#365DaysOfScience

MMP-2 & MMP-9 are the extensively studied proteases having a significant role in tumor invasion & metastasis. The samples are electrophoresed in gelatin containing PAGE under native non-reducing conditions. (However, SDS is added which is removed after washing).
#365DaysOfScience

The cells are incubated with Calcium containing incubation buffer which activates & converts zymogen which in turn cleaves at corresponding sites. The cleaved sites in the gel leave a clear zone which is visualized after staining with Coomassie blue->destaining.
#365DaysOfScience

Having relative quantification, Zymography is a powerful analytical tool to assess level and type of the MMPs expressed in different cell types/tissues at different time-point/treatment plans.
#365DaysOfScience

Here is one of my gel image.

Today I am going through Prof. @bushraiitk's recent paper in @NatureComms.
It sheds light on Androgen eprivation therapy and its feasibility in aggressive Prostate Cancer. @BsbeIitb
#365DaysOfScience
doi.org/10.1038/s41467…

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is the benchmark technique against advanced prostate cancer. However, continued ADT leads to castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) having a poor prognosis.
#365DaysOfScience

Although AR antagonists Enzalutamide and Apalutamide prolong overall survival of patients, however, with continued AR signalling via multiple alterations in the AR gene or AR-signaling pathways, the disease eventually progresses.
#365DaysOfScience

Despite showing initial success by ADT, a fraction (~20%) of CRPC cease to rely on AR signalling and through lineage plasticity acquire an aggressive androgen receptor (AR)-independent neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) phenotype.
#365DaysOfScience

SPINK1 (Serine Peptidase Inhibitor Kazal type 1) protein has an increased (~10–25%) expression in an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Despite SPINK1+ patients show rapid progression to disease and adverse clinical outcomes, SPINK1 hasn't been explored much.
#365DaysOfScience

In animal models and prostate cancer cell lines they have demonstrated an elevation in the levels of SPINK1 protein. It was also associated with an increase in the levels of neuroendocrine markers found in aggressive prostate cancer.
#365DaysOfScience

Androgen receptor (AR) is one of the repressors of SPINK1 protein. AR levels go down after ADT and hence an increase in the levels of SPINK1 protein.
#365DaysOfScience

They for the first time show along with AR, REST; an AR cofactor, also have a repressive effect on the SPINK1 protein. Casein Kinase 1 shows antagonism over REST. High expression of REST was exhibited when the FDA approved anti CK1 drug was administered.
#365DaysOfScience

This paper highlights the feasibility of using ADT in prostate cancer in the long run. It also signifies the application of anti CK1 to down-regulate SPINK1 and its reversal of neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
#365DaysOfScience

I glanced upon a CORALLEEN Trial conducted by Prof Aleix Prat et al on Luminal B type Breast cancer patients published in @TheLancetOncol #365DaysOfScience
thelancet.com/journals/lanon…

Hormone Receptor (ER, PR) positive HER2 negative [Luminal types] accounts for 70% of Breast Cancer. Despite adjuvant chemotherapy showing better clinical outcomes, considerable tumor heterogeneity manifests prognostic factors and treatment regimen.
#365DaysOfScience

In addition to systematic therapy, CDK4/6 inhibitors have come into play as a treatment for advanced Luminal type breast cancer. Together, the two have provided clinically relevant results in terms of response, disease-free survival with good tolerability.
#365DaysOfScience

In this study, the authors aimed to test the selective inhibition of CDK4 and CDK6 with ribociclib plus letrozole luminal B early-stage breast cancer patients.
#365DaysOfScience

Patients were randomized in 1:1 ratio to receive CDK4/6 inhibitors (n=52) or multiagent chemotherapy (n=54). Investigators analyzed changes in the low-risk-of-relapse (ROR) score between baseline and surgery in both categories.
#365DaysOfScience

They conclude that patients with high-risk, early-stage, Luminal type breast cancer could achieve molecular down-staging of their disease with CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy.
#365DaysOfScience

Today I am presenting a brief bio sketch of Prof. Har Gobind Khorana, a very well known name in India. Prof Khorana is credited with his discovery of Genetic codons; a triplet of nucleotides, which carry the genetic code of the cell to form proteins.
#365DaysOfScience

Born youngest of five children, on January 9, 1922, in pre-independent India, Prof Khorana completed his Elementary and Higher education in India. He credits his father for instilling continued education in him.
#365DaysOfScience

He did his doctoral work in @LivUni followed by postdoctoral research at Zurich and then to @Cambridge_Uni. At Cambridge, he developed an interest in the chemistry of proteins and nucleic acids.
#365DaysOfScience

"This was an exciting time to be in Cambridge because Fred Sanger was then in the process of sequencing insulin, the first protein to be sequenced, and Max Perutz and John Kendrew were performing the first x-rays of myoglobulin and haemoglobin."
#365DaysOfScience

Started his independent research group @UBC with freedom of carrying out his own research the way he wanted. His initial publication on methods to synthesise short oligonucleotides attracted the attention of notable biochemists like Arthur Kornberg & Paul Berg.
#365DaysOfScience

In 1960 he moved to @UWMadison to continue his work on the genetic code and synthesis of a transfer RNA gene. It @UWM where he described how the synthesis of proteins is controlled by nucleotides in nucleic acids.
#365DaysOfScience

Prof Khorana working in the lab
Pic: @UWMadison

In 1968 Prof. Khorana was awarded the @NobelPrize along with Marshall Nirenberg and Robert W Holley. This was an award for their elucidation of the genetic code and its relevance in protein synthesis.
#365DaysOfScience

"He also demonstrated that the nucleotide code is always transmitted in groups of three; codons, which instruct the cell to start and stop the production of proteins. Khorana was also one of the first to outline the possibility of gene manipulation."
#365DaysOfScience

He also is credited with devising a technique to synthesize DNA oligonucleotides that is a backbone of creation of artificial genes, primers and templates for DNA polymerase etc. This formed the basis of PCR.
#365DaysOfScience

In 1970 he went on to research on the cell signalling pathways of vision at @MIT until his retirement in 2007. Here along with his colleagues, he achieved the first synthesis of an artificial gene in a living cell.
#365DaysOfScience

Image: @biomedhistories

@MIT @biomedhistories In less than a week's time, the outbreak has breached the barrier of many countries including India.
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1221776480679542785?s=20

@MIT @biomedhistories I reviewed the bioRxiv preprint on #coronavirus by a senior at @iitdelhi. In this study, they have described 4 unique inserts in the spike glycoprotein (gp) of 2019-nCoV, all of which have similarity to those in the HIV1 gp120/Gag.
#365DaysOfScience

biorxiv.org/content/10.110…

Though this still is a preprint and not peer-reviewed, the work is out in public domain to discuss and gain insights.
@neelbs @ravishni @deepj73
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/ARanganathan72/status/1223444298034630656?s=20

The #coronavirus has two spike glycoproteins on its envelope, S1 and S2 which assist in receptor binding and membrane fusion to the host cell respectively. These gp have extensively been studied for probable vaccine design.
#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

Using publicly available coronavirus sequences @NCBI phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGAX software. They also designed a 3D structure of 2019-nCoV gp using SWISS-MODEL online server.
#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

Phylogenetic tree suggests close resemblance of 2019-nCoV with SARS CoV as previously reported. They found 4 insertions in the gp of 2019-nCoV which are not present in other coronaviruses after multiple sequence alignment with all available coronaviruses.
#365DaysOfScience

They checked the alignment of the unique inserts against all viral genomes. Surprisingly, it aligned with HIV-1 proteins. Authors suggest this not to be fortuitous finding since all 4 inserts matched only with HIV1 structural proteins.
#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

SARS-GZ02 in which the S protein has evolved with the closest diversity too doesn't have sequence insertions as in 2019-nCoV. It is intriguing to know from where the virus to have acquired such unique insertions naturally that too in such a short span of time.
#365DaysOfScience

Since 3D modelling of the protein structure revealed that these insertions are present at the binding site, authors believe these to confer additional flexibility at the glycoprotein binding site and may facilitate virus-host interactions & infectivity advantage
#365DaysOfScience

There also is a similarity between the pI values of the 4 inserts in 2019-nCoV and HIV1 and reads 10±2. This requires further investigation in addition to the functional role of insertional motifs.
#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

Sunday Eureka on @rajyasabhatv with Prof @rameshmashelkar; veteran scientist known as modern "Warrior of Haldighati" to common people.
#365DaysOfScience

Returned from the UK in 1976 on the request of Dr Y. Nayudamma, then DG, CSIR Prof. Mashelkar did pioneering work in polymer science and engineering for the people and the benefit of mankind.
#365DaysOfScience

He fondly remembers his mother and how she instilled cultural values in him that motivated him in the successful legal crusade against US patent on 'wound healing properties of turmeric'.
#365DaysOfScience

His is a journey of how TATA trust supported a bright young boy in him, gave India one of the greatest Innovator & scientist. Being the director of NCL Pune transformed from reverse engineering to creation of Intellectual property among the best of the world
#365DaysOfScience

Prof. Mashelkar Made a transformational change in CSIR, considered as one of the ten most significant achievements of Indian Science and Technology in the 20th century by JV Narlikar. Added Innovation component to Research and Development; 🇮🇳 centric Innovation
#365DaysOfScience

Prof Mashelkar enlists five mantras:
1. Aspirations are the possibilities. Keep them high.
2. There is no instant success. Work hard in silence, let success make noise.
3. Keep knocking on the doors. If they don't open, create your own.
#365DaysOfScience

4. Perseverance pays. It is always too early to give up.
5. There are no limits to the ladder of success. You keep achieving them.
#365DaysOfScience

There is no substitute to real Guru. The best of best is available in India. India now is not only the land of Ideas but the land of opportunities.
#365DaysOfScience

And, rightly said sir,

India 🇮🇳 matters to me and I matter to India 🇮🇳 more.

Here is a brief report on India's victory over turmeric patent led by then DG @CSIR_IND Prof. @rameshmashelkar
Thank you for keeping India's traditional knowledge free and open.
#365DaysOfScience
thelancet.com/journals/lance…

@CSIR_IND @rameshmashelkar Today is #WorldCancerDay and let's go through some statistics from @IARCWHO. Here is a World cancer report published every 5 years.
#365DaysOfScience #WCD2020

Another set of statistics available at
gco.iarc.fr/today/home

https://twitter.com/IARCWHO/status/1224617150792568832?s=20

With a high burden and Incident to mortality ratio, particularly in developing world, it's impelling to study and research in the field.
#WorldCancerDay #WorldCancerDay2020 #WCD2020 #365DaysOfScience

Image: @IARCWHO

@IARCWHO @WHO @theNCI @CDC_Cancer @MDAndersonNews This is a wonderful commentary on RNA editing by @Sara_Reardon featured in @nature y'day. She begins with acknowledging this breakthrough discovery of changing the sequences of mRNA by Thorsten Stafforst from the Uni of Tübingen in 2012.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

It, however, got overshadowed by the DNA-editing tool CRISPR–Cas9. Specifically being bombarded with a question like "Why do we need this when there’s DNA editing?"
#365DaysOfScience

Cas9 used in gene editing could elicit immune responses/leads to permanent accidental changes to the genome. RNA editing makes short term changes to eliminate protein aberrations where damaging changes wouldn't be accumulated, transferred to progeny & discarded
#365DaysOfScience

RNA editing tools have mostly employed Enzymes called adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) which upon binding to RNA alter their sequence from adenosine to inosine. APOBECs from cytidine deaminases family change cytosine into uracil.
#365DaysOfScience

"Some cancers hijack important cell-signalling pathways, such as those involved in cell death or proliferation. If RNA editors could be conscripted to turn off key signalling molecules temporarily, says Nina Papavasiliou from @DKFZ “we could see the tumour die”
#365DaysOfScience

In treatment modality, RNA editing would be potentially less dangerous to immune reaction than are CRISPR-based approaches.
#365DaysOfScience

Besides ADARs being native to the cell, will elicit no immune response there is, however, a major drawback as it can make only a few kinds of change to the RNA. It can overwrite the function without breaking the RNA backbone.
#365DaysOfScience

New tools to expand the RNA editing are currently looked after by scientists. Would be a significant leap to alter genetic abnormalities without causing permanent damage to the genome.
#365DaysOfScience

Always a pleasure going back to classics. In today's #365DaysOfScience I read Frederick Sanger's @NobelPrize lecture; "The chemistry of insulin".
Fred Sanger was one of the few persons who went on to win two Nobel Prizes.
#365DaysOfScience

nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/0…

This is from first Nobel lecture delivered on Dec 11, 1958. He worked on Insulin and determined the amino acid sequences in the Insulin's two chains. Here is the structure as revealed: two chains linked with two disulphide bridges.
#365DaysOfScience

@sangerinstitute @NobelPrize Attempted making mammospheres in continuation of my doctoral work. Thought of shedding some lights upon it in today's #365DaysOfScience

Tumor heterogeneity in Breast Cancer makes it one of the frequently diagnosed and fatal cancers across the world. Like others, there lie a variety of cancer cells including cancer stem cells that get differentiate into different sub-types. #365DaysOfScience

These BrCa stem cells have properties of self-renewal, differentiation, distant metastasis, invasion, and drug resistance which ultimately complicate breast cancer treatment. #365DaysOfScience

The minor pool of BrCa stem cells (<2%) have a reasonable expression of stemness markers (usually CD44+/CD24–) and are capable of forming new tumors in vivo. #365DaysOfScience

The characterization of probable BrCa stem cells holds relevance in the sense that it can dictate the treatment modality and in case of stemness can infer why some tumors are resistant to conventional therapy. #365DaysOfScience

The formation of discrete clusters of cells; 'mammospheres' is conceived by Dontu et. al. where cells from tumor/cell lines' single-cell suspension are seeded in culture conditions having the ability to differentiate into multiples lineages.
#365DaysOfScience

As inferred the 3 dimensional chemical and physical milieu for the cells within a tissue are fundamentally different from the cells cultured in monolayer adherence. #365DaysOfScience

Within the enclosed mass of tumor, the intercellular communication and connections within and with the extracellular matrix would impact the overall cellular morphology and signaling. #365DaysOfScience

Hence the 3D mammospheres. These mammospheres although, do not represent the exact intercellular adhesion and architecture as exhibited in the tissue, however, they provide a close approximation of 3D culture systems and creating tissue-like cellular aggregates. #365DaysOfScience

A great review on "How to turn an organism into a model organism in 10 ‘easy’ steps" in the @J_Exp_Biol. In this paper authors explain the feasibility of the 'big 6' and the need to move beyond these model organisms.
#365DaysOfScience

jeb.biologists.org/content/223/Su…

Authors highlight major discoveries of 20th century were based on 'big 6': Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and Mus musculus due to their abundance and readily availablity.
#365DaysOfScience

They augue 'specialist species will reveal new secrets in important areas of biology and that with modern technological innovations like next-generation sequencing and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, the time is ripe to move beyond the big 6'
#365DaysOfScience

A great read on the the suitability of Aedes aegypti mosquito as a model organism.
#365DaysOfScience

To add a freshly different perspective to the debate whether virus are living or non-living beings, this comes as a shocker with a group of virus being discovered that doesn't have a recognizable gene
#365DaysOfScience sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/s…

In addition to the obligatory requirement of a host for the virus to continue its life cycle, this virus' genome upon sequencing matched none of any reported genes. It would be interesting to see the newly discovered 'Yaravirus' role in human health.
#365DaysOfScience

I review this @ScienceAdvances article by Law et al. in today's ##365DaysOfScience
Intriguing research on the role of cytidine deaminase apobec3 family of enzymes in tamoxifen resistance in ER+ Breast Cancer.
#365DaysOfScience
advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/10/e…

With better prognosis and operability there has been a steady decline in Breast Cancer mortality which usually is contributed by metastatic outgrowths to vital organs, such as the brain, liver, or lungs.
#365DaysOfScience

Late recurrences post five years of surgery has been well documented even after continuing with adjuvant endocrine therapy. This may be the result of ongoing tumor evolution and acquisition of additional genetic aberrations.
#365DaysOfScience

The major drivers of recurrence are mutations which can be spontaneous and/or enzyme-catalyzed deamination of DNA cytosine bases via APOBEC3 family of enzymes.
#365DaysOfScience

Out of seven APOBEC3 enzymes expressed in human cells, APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B are main candidates for signature mutations in breast tumors. A3B is overexpressed in approximately half of the primary breast tumors.
#365DaysOfScience

Whether mutations preexist in primary tumors or get accumulated in a course of time? Recurrent breast tumors often have many more somatic mutations compared to corresponding primary tumors, suggesting ongoing and cumulative mutational processes.
#365DaysOfScience

Authors test whether the A3B contributes to ongoing tumor evolution & to the development of drug resistance mutations in ER+ breast cancer.
#365DaysOfScience

They remark that "primary tumor A3B mRNA levels are strong and independent predictors of progression-free survival for recurrent ER+ breast cancer treated with tamoxifen."
#365DaysOfScience

A3B is required for the promotion of tamoxifen-resistant tumors in ER+ breast cancer as exhibited by clinical and xenograft results. They also conclude that A3B may have a role in both kinds of resistance and including the secondary, acquired resistance.
#365DaysOfScience

Since the biochemical activity of A3B is DNA cytosine deamination the tamoxifen resistance phenotype is heritable. It will require additional study to identify the resistance-conferring mutations using whole-genome sequencing approaches.
#365DaysOfScience

Today I am going through @CellPress review on the revelation of tumor heterogeneity using single-cell RNA-seq Technologies.
#365DaysOfScience
cell.com/trends/cancer/…

One of the major obstacles in effective cancer treatment has been intratumoral heterogeneity that is considered as the main driver of therapy resistance and metastasis and is associated with poor prognosis.
#365DaysOfScience

In response to stochastic factors or to a variable tumor microenvironment different genetic and transcriptional diversity exist in various tumor types. This functional diversity grants plasticity to tumors and improves their chances of adaptation.
#365DaysOfScience

The characterization of tumor heterogeneity is a prerequisite for successful treatment. Single-cell sequencing technologies that rely on sequencing individual cells offer higher sensitivity in the detection of functional heterogeneity based on single-cell RNAseq
#365DaysOfScience

"The single-cell multiomics approaches that allow the study of genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic profiles in the same cell have been developed that opens a window of opportunity for comprehensive cell characterization."
#365DaysOfScience

Authors highlight the "major limitation in the application of scRNA-seq technologies to solid tumor samples is the requirement for complex dissociation protocols to obtain viable, individualized fresh cells."
#365DaysOfScience

The continued treatment in cancer therapy ultimately leads to distant metastasis to vital organs & therapy-induced resistance. Single-cell omics may be vital to understand tumor microenvironment, evolution dynamics & associated factors for a better prognosis.
#365DaysOfScience

The new #coronavirus gets a new name; COVID-19. Well efforts are still underway to contain the spread. #CoronavirusOutbreak
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1227248333871173632?s=20

The confirmed cases tally escalates to 45,204. However, one good takeaway from this is the recovery rate which is almost five times the mortality. #coronavirus #CoronavirusOutbreak
#365DaysOfScience

This is an informative thread from @WHO on details with preventive measures on #coronavirus. #CoronavirusOutbreak
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1218229883484155913?s=20

@WHO Published in @nature, this news throws light on the findings by Park et. al. on the regulation of glycolysis under stress conditions in cancers. @gdanuser1
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Tension-modulated processes (cell growth, migration & differentiation) are energy-consuming & hence regulate cellular metabolism. Park et al described that stiffness in the extracellular matrix promotes the reorganization of actin filaments to enhance glycolysis
#365DaysOfScience

Integrins are transmembrane proteins that sense stiffness in ECM & in response facilitate the assembly of thick, cablelike, oriented arrays of actin-myosin filaments; stress fibres. These stress fibres trap TRIM21 which ubiquitinates PFK1, key glycolytic enzyme.
#365DaysOfScience

"The data also offer a potential explanation for the aberrant glucose regulation reported in metabolically dysfunctional fatty breast tissue of people who are obese, in which the connective tissue, called the stroma, is often stiff"
#365DaysOfScience

In addition to these findings, the abnormally high glycolysis in the tumor cells could be brought back to normal with an increased expression of TRIM21 gene.
#365DaysOfScience

"This finding argues that compounds that stimulate protein degradation, augment ligase activity or reduce actin-fibre assembly should similarly normalize tumour glycolysis and hence could be new antitumour therapies."
#365DaysOfScience

Symbiotic association of microorganisms; bacteria, viruses, fungi and other life forms collectively constitute the microbiome. Different organs have different inhabitants but the gut microbiome has garnered the most attention.
#365DaysOfScience
Read👇
nature.com/articles/d4158…

APOBEC (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like) are seven members single-stranded DNA cytosine deaminases. These enzymes introduce C-to-U mutation by activation-induced (cytidine) deaminases (AID) activity.
#365DaysOfScience
Image: @Wikimedia

The APOBEC enzymes are part of the antiviral innate immune response which has widely studied in HIV pathogenesis.
#365DaysOfScience

Today I go through this review on the role of APOBEC enzymes in HIV and cancer evolution published in @Annals_Oncology
#365DaysOfScience
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

APOBEC-catalysed DNA damage and mutagenesis have been reported in a variety of cancers including Breast Cancer.
#365DaysOfScience

They have explored the parallels between the role of APOBEC in HIV and cancer mutagenesis with a focus on how APOBEC mutagenesis can promote intratumor heterogeneity, drug resistance, and immune escape.
#365DaysOfScience

They narrate one of the overlapping mechanisms between HIV and cancer is co-opting APOBEC mutagenesis as a means of immune evasion. HIV counteracts APOBEC by viral infectivity factor mediated polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation.
#365DaysOfScience

They conclude "sublethal APOBEC mutagenesis of HIV virions has been linked to increasing HIV diversity and the creation of drug and immune escape variants."
#365DaysOfScience

"Conceivably, similar functions for APOBEC mutagenesis may be operating, and be selected for, during cancer evolution with clear opportunities for the development of novel therapeutic interventions."
#365DaysOfScience

To understand relapse and drug resistance in tumors, drug and targeted therapy-resistant cell lines are used. This is an excellent paper in @FrontOncology on how to develop chemotherapeutic drugs resistant cell lines in vitro.
#365DaysOfScience
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

@FrontOncology Reviewing today: Transfer of ubiquitin protein is caught in the act. Authors explain ubiquitin-mediated destruction of cellular proteins. @nature
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

E3 ligases facilitate the ubiquitination via its subset, cullin–RING ubiquitin ligases (CRL). NEDD8 protein attaches to inactive CRL which gets activated and transfers ubiquitin from an E2 conjugating enzyme to the target protein.
#365DaysOfScience

Baek et al. have attempted a possible explanation of this obtained from the structural data from cryo-EM. Here is a pictorial representation of how NED8 aides in ubiquitination.
#365DaysOfScience

"These new structural data might help in the design of drugs known as proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs), which can redirect specific CRL enzymes to ubiquitinate & thus destroy targets of clinical interest that are outside the enzymes’ natural repertoire"
#365DaysOfScience

A short and concise read on developmental biology. A quick summary of differentiation experiments from Briggs and King to induced pluripotency by Takahashi and Shinya Yamanaka. #365DaysOfScience 👇
nature.com/articles/d4158…

One of the most influential classic work is the birth of Dolly sheep. Cloned using somatic cell nuclear transfer, Dolly stirred animal cloning. Here is the authors' article submitted to @nature
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/38006…

Image: @Wikimedia

@nature @Wikimedia It becomes intriguing to unravel the mechanisms by which p53 exerts apoptotic response considering the fact that it has been crucial in programmed cell death and tumor suppression.
#365DaysOfScience
Here is the @nature @cddpress article
nature.com/articles/44021…

On #Mahashivratri I am reviewing #Siva, a proapoptotic gene. Authors "established that Siva encodes a membrane protein which, along with other extrinsic apoptotic pathway components, serves as a key mediator of p53-dependent apoptosis in primary neurons."
#365DaysOfScience

Upon genomic analysis to identify p53 activatable genes, the proapoptotic gene "Siva" was identified as an apoptosis-selective p53 target gene. It encodes protein unrelated to known apoptosis effectors which could provide novel insight into p53's mode of action.
#365DaysOfScience

They carried out microarray analysis to identify p53 target genes selectively induced during apoptosis. Only 78 genes out of the 554 p53-dependent genes (representing only 14% of p53-dependent genes) had their expression selectively upregulated during apoptosis.
#365DaysOfScience

This confirms the association of very few genes, most of which are novel, in directing the apoptotic cell fate. The proteins encoded by these novel genes carry out a variety of cellular functions not limited to canonical p53 targets such as Bax.
#365DaysOfScience

Siva expression is induced by diverse contexts of p53-dependent apoptosis and not during p53-independent apoptosis. "Expression of Siva is sufficient to recapitulate the p53 response, consistent with the idea that it participates in the p53 apoptotic program."
#365DaysOfScience

This paper "provided the first evidence that Siva is required for p53-dependent apoptosis and showed further that Siva acts upstream of mitochondrial dysfunction."
#365DaysOfScience

They demonstrate "p53 apoptotic program involves expression of Siva, which, likely through association with TNF-receptors, participates in extrinsic pathway signaling"
#365DaysOfScience

They conclude with "As a critical signaling component in neuronal apoptosis, Siva represents a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuronal cell death diseases."
#365DaysOfScience

About 12% of GPCRs are orphan receptors of which ligands and downstream pathways are unknown. This becomes a limiting factor in exploiting their function as a probable therapeutic target. This article narrates about such oGPCR, GPR52.
#365DaysOfScience 👇
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Sunday Eureka on @rajyasabhatv with Prof. Siva Umapathy currently, director of @iiserbhopal. He is a leading laser spectroscopist working on early detection of biomarkers and molecular dynamics of cancer cells using Raman Spectroscopy.
#365DaysOfScience

@rajyasabhatv @iiserbhopal White House formally invites public comment on open-access policies. #openaccess should be followed (within a year plan as envisioned by @BarackObama admin) and must begin with federally funded research at least.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/w…

https://twitter.com/WHOSTP/status/1230172213510393859?s=20

@rajyasabhatv @iiserbhopal @BarackObama Human body temperature has declined steadily over the past 160 years.
Average body temperature bein 37 degrees Celcius is outdated, all thanks to antibiotics, vaccines, and improved water quality.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/01/b…

Electrophoretic Days
Day 1 dedicated to electrophoresis. It is movement of charged particles across the voltage difference. In molecular biology it is used to separate charged molecules: DNA, RNA, or proteins (additionally negatively charged) based on their size #365DaysOfScience

The ions move in a colloidal matrix made up of Agarose/Acrylamide when electric current is applied across the electrodes. The net movement under the fixed potential difference is based on the charge to mass ratio of the particle. #365DaysOfScience

Two types of electrophoretic techniques mostly used are agarose gel electrophoresis and polyacrylamide electrophoresis. #365DaysOfScience

Day 2 is for agarose gel electrophoresis. It involves transfer of macromolecules (DNA/RNA/Proteins of high molecular weight) under the matrix of Agarose gel. It is usually run with low percentage <4%. #365DaysOfScience

Agarobiose a disaccharide is the repeating unit of Agarose that forms the pores of larger size (albeit with lower resolution) than polyacrylamide gels and hence able to separate larger molecules. #365DaysOfScience

The phosphate backbone of nucleic acids impart negative charge to them and hence move towards positively charged anode under applied electric field. #365DaysOfScience

Tracking dye such bromophenol blue is mixed with the sample in order to monitor the progress of the run. EtBr staining helps in visualisation of samples. It intercalates between major grooves of the DNA and gives fluorescence under UV radiation. #365DaysOfScience

Here's an old image. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/988445515762323457?s=19

Day 3 for SDS PAGE. It is a biochemical method of separating proteins. Depending on the constituent amino acids, a protein can be acidic, basic or neutral. To nullify intrinsic charges, SDS is added which confers uniform negative charge to all the proteins. #365DaysOfScience

Constituents of the gel include Acrylamide as polymerization agent with methylenebisacrylamide as cross linking agent. The ratio of acrylamide to bis determines the pore size.
#365DaysOfScience

The reaction is catalyzed by TEMED which assists in stabilization of free radicals sourced from APS that promote polymerization of acrylamide. #365DaysOfScience

In denaturing PAGE, samples are added with β-mercaptoethanol which cleaves disulfide bridges. The sample is heated at 95° C to denature secondary/tertiary structures so that only linear composition of Amino acids become the sole determinant of separation. #365DaysOfScience

Native PAGE is electrophoretic separation of proteins in their native conformation (tert/quaternary structure) without denaturing the protein with SDS/β-ME. The proteins are separated based on shape size and intrinsic charge in native PAGE. #365DaysOfScience

After the run, the gel is subjected to staining by Coomassie blue/silver staining to detect proteins sorted by mass or immunochemical detection using Western Blotting. #365DaysOfScience

Eating breakfast and avoiding late-evening snacking sustains lipid oxidation
"the timing of meals during the day/night cycle affects how ingested food is oxidized or stored in humans, with important implications for optimal eating habits"
#365DaysOfScience
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/ar…

Molecular evidence supports Darwin’s adaptationist view, informing the debate over what drives evolution | National Academy of Sciences
#365DaysOfScience

blog.pnas.org/2020/02/molecu…

The primary conclusion is "beneficial mutations experiencing positive selection under constant laboratory conditions can switch—when the environment changes, as in the wild—to become harmful"
#365DaysOfScience

"in changing environments, the signal of past positive selection can be masked by more recent negative selection." #365DaysOfScience

Quick notes on biostatistics in today's #365DaysOfScience. Statistics is the study and analysis of data generated from random processes. It helps in hypothesis formulation, sample sizing & collection, experimentation planning and/or making sense out of the data.

Biostatistics is the field of applied statistics focussed towards healthcare and life sciences. Following principles of statistics, it addresses the planning, execution and interpretation of data relevant to human health, epidemiology, medicine, genetics. etc. #365DaysOfScience

All the statistical measures require data; observation of random variables. Variables are measurable traits that vary among the observational group. It can be
Nominal: labels, gender, race
Ordinal: stage of cancer, severity measure
#365DaysOfScience

Interval: the order and the differences between the values are known, temperature
Ratio: useful for counting, ranking etc. distance, length etc. #365DaysOfScience

Data may be qualitative
(non-numerical: Ethnicity, race, the severity of pain) or
quantitative (numerical: age, height, BP).
#365DaysOfScience

The quantitative variables can be
Discrete: a set of countable integer value
Continuous: the possibility of all interval values
This, however, depends on the precision of data collection.
#365DaysOfScience

Control group acts as a reference with which comparison can be made (to the test/expt group). It is always good to take the placebo effect into consideration before making any treatment plans. #365DaysOfScience

Randomization and blinding: Randomization ensures a homogenous mix of different subjects lie in each research group. Blinding is to prevent subjects from knowing which treatment group they are part of. Double-blind studies restrict the experimenter effect. #365DaysOfScience

Types of study:
Observational:
Case study: Observing an interesting trend in a few samples. Can help generate the research hypothesis.
Case-control: Conducted retrospectively involving cases and control. #365DaysOfScience

Cross-sectional study: Prevalence study collecting data at one point in time.
Cohort Studies: Usually prospectively performed. #365DaysOfScience

Data presentation is an important component of biostatistics which enables quick comprehension and summarization of data. It can be represented in tabular form as frequency distribution or relative frequency for data having variables. #365DaysOfScience

Another form (often used) of data representation are graphs. It can be histograms, bar graphs, pictograms, pie charts, frequency polygons etc. Legends are attached to label each graphical component. #365DaysOfScience

A scatter plot is used to represent usually two variables on the x and y-axis when one continuous variable reveals the pattern of correlation in the other variable. Box plots depict grouped data variability or dispersion of the data from the central tendency. #365DaysOfScience

Another fundamental task in stats is the measure of location or a central value to depict the data. These are typically mean, median, mode, percentiles etc. Range, variance, standard. deviation, coefficient of variation etc. form the measures of dispersion. #365DaysOfScience

Often used component of stats is 'statistical significance' which affirms that the result is significant, not that one got lucky. It is depicted through the p-value ie, a probability value of observation. Any value <0.05 is conventionally considered significant. #365DaysOfScience

Less than a month and #COVID19 has 95,748 clinically confirmed cases. #coronavirusinindia has 28 cases as updated. More figures @
🔗gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashbo…

#CoronavirusOutbreak #CoronaAlert #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1227570362390433792?s=20

@WHO Advice for the public.
#COVID19 #CoronavirusOutbreak #coronavirusinindia #CoronaAlert #365DaysOfScience

who.int/emergencies/di…

Very handy Myth busters on #COVID19 from @WHO

#COVID19 #CoronavirusOutbreak #coronavirusinindia #CoronaAlert #365DaysOfScience

who.int/emergencies/di…

It's been 90 years and structure of benzene is finally revealed by ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science. @NatureComms
#365DaysOfScience
phys.org/news/2020-03-y…

A significant leap in the CRISPR application from in vitro culture to the direct administration into the body.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

In continuation to the clinical trial to assess the ability of CRISPR–Cas9 gene-editing techniques to remove mutations that cause Leber’s congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10), patients have been administered components of the gene-editing system. #365DaysOfScience

The components – encoded in the genome of a virus — are injected directly into the eye, near photoreceptor cells. This is a remarkable feat. considering the fact that previously CRISPR application was limited to in vitro usage.
#365DaysOfScience

This WomensDay I am going through a brief biography of Barbara McClintock, known for her discovery of Jumping Genes (Transposons). #365DaysOfScience #SheInspiresUs #WomensDay

"During the 1940s and 1950s, Barbara McClintock proved that genetic elements can sometimes change position on a chromosome and that this causes nearby genes to become active or inactive." #365DaysOfScience
@NobelPrize #SheInspiresUs #WomensDay

Born 1902 in Barbara McClintock braved the family and financial adversaries and enrolled at Cornell's College of Agriculture for BS. This is where her research interest shape throughout her professional career: the chromosomal analysis of Maize. #365DaysOfScience #WomensDay

Graduated in 1923, she pursued MA in 1925 followed by a PhD on the plant genetics in 1927. "In 1931 she published “A Correlation of Cytological and Genetical Crossing-over in Zea mays,” a paper that established that chromosomes formed the basis of genetics." #365DaysOfScience

"In the 1940s, by observing and experimenting with variations in the coloration of kernels of corn, she discovered that genetic information is not stationary. By tracing pigmentation changes in corn, she isolated two genes that she called “controlling elements.” #365DaysOfScience

"McClintock found that the controlling elements could move along the chromosome to a different site. She suggested that these transposable elements were responsible for new mutations in pigmentation or other characteristics. #365DaysOfScience #SheInspiresUs #WomensDay

Prof. McClintock’s was the first women to have won the sole @NobelPrize for her discovery of mobile genetic elements in 1983. She dedicated her life towards plant cytogenetics at the field at @CSHL. #365DaysOfScience #SheInspiresUs #WomensDay

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am reviewing this article on MMP2 and MMP9 expression on Breast Cancer cells or tumor published in @LettersOncology
spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/ol.201…

Metastasis of BrCa leads to poor clinical treatment & high mortality. MMP2 & MMP9 are secreted as zymogens from tumor and stromal cells. Upon activation, MMPs degrade basement membrane collagen, promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1222135532177641472?s=20

This study is aimed to investigate MMPs expression in breast cancer and their relationship with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 and human normal breast cell line HS578Bst were used for this study. #365DaysOfScience

mRNA and protein expression of MMP‑2 and MMP‑9 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were significantly higher than those in HS578Bst cells (p<0.01). IHC of MMPs also revealed positive expression in tumors. #365DaysOfScience

"Abnormal expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were correlated with the occurrence of lymph node metastasis and tumor staging (p<0.05), but not correlated with patient age and tumor size (p>0.05)." #365DaysOfScience

Kaplan-Meier single factor analysis showed that MMPs were associated with a significant effect on patient prognosis (p<0.05). "Low MMP‑2 and MMP-9 expression indicated a relatively good patient prognosis." #365DaysOfScience

They conclude MMP-2 and MMP-9 are highly expressed in breast cancer and can be used as reference indicators for guiding breast cancer treatment and estimating prognosis. #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am sharing the news on @NIH clinical trial of Remdesivir to treat #COVID19. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety & efficacy of Remdesivir has begun in @unmc by @NIAIDNews
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04…

Currently, there are no @US_FDA approved drugs against #COVID19. "Remdesivir, developed by @GileadSciences is an investigational broad-spectrum antiviral treatment." #365DaysOfScience #COVID2019 #CoronaVirusUpdate

Currently, there are no @US_FDA approved drugs against #COVID19. "Remdesivir, developed by @GileadSciences is an investigational broad-spectrum antiviral treatment." #365DaysOfScience #COVID2019 #CoronaVirusUpdate

It aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of different investigational therapeutics as assessed by clinical severity, hospitalization, and mortality. #365DaysOfScience #COVID2019 #CoronaVirusUpdate

In today's #365DaysOfScience let's go through the info on "8 Ways to Make a Video Abstract" from @Animate_Science.
The author explains in detail the different ways to make video abstracts to reach the masses.
animateyour.science/post/8-ways-to…

In today's #365DaysOfScience I reviewed the identification of the microbial signatures in tumours and blood across the cancer types. AI programs can utilise these signatures to discriminate between types of cancer, and between healthy individuals. @nature
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Back to classics in today's #365DaysOfScience. I glanced upon one of the pioneering techniques of molecular biology, PCR. In addition to generating multiple copies of a gene, it forms the basis of various medical diagnostic, forensic and sequencing tools.
symposium.cshlp.org/content/51/263…

This is Interesting. The tiny skull suggests these birds have evolved to be miniature version. The tiny, fossilized, bird-like skull has been reported by Xing et al. It would be Interesting to trace the lineage and evolutionary pattern. #365DaysOfScience

nature.com/articles/d4158…

Today I am writing quick notes on wound healing assay. It is used to study the coordinated cell migration in two dimensions under applied conditions. A scratch or wound is made physically or chemical damage. #365DaysOfScience

Usually, cell monolayer is scrapped using 10 μm tips with a uniform angle and constant pressure to form a consistent gap width. It is rinsed to clear away the debris and supplemented with fresh culture media. #365DaysOfScience

The empty cell-free area prompts neighbouring cells to migrate & seal the gap. A sequence of images is taken using a phase-contrast microscope at different time points to assess the migration potential of different cells or cells under varied experimental setup.
#365DaysOfScience

The migration, known as sheet migration is two dimensions is a reflection of cancer metastasis or embryonic development. The rate of gap closure is a measure of the speed of the collective motion of the cells. #365DaysOfScience
Image: Jonkman J et al @tandfonline

Genome analyses help track coronavirus’ move. Mutations can reveal connections between outbreaks—but it’s easy to overinterpret them. #365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/367/64…

The #COVID19 cases have been 169,387 by now. Although the incidence rate in China has reached plateau, the escalation at other locations, particularly Italy is staggering. #365DaysOfScience

"Chromatin modified in a molecular reaction chamber"
Chromatin modification induced by ubiquitin molecules. Authors suggest an alternative model to attach ubiquitin molecule on H2B independent of RNA polymerase II.
#365DaysOfScience @nature
nature.com/articles/d4158…

This paper in @PNASNews is challenging our fundamental understanding of HIV replication events after it enters the host, particularly uncoating.
#365DaysOfScience
pnas.org/content/117/10…

To understand the viral life cycle events, uncoating of viral capsid protein to release the viral RNA and proteins. For the past four decades, the uncoating of capsid was thought to occur in the cytoplasm. #365DaysOfScience

This paper challenges this notion and for the first time report that HIV-1 viral cores remain intact or nearly intact during nuclear import and uncoat in the nucleus. #365DaysOfScience

Authors "developed methods to directly label CA with GFP and track viral cores in infected cells through viral DNA integration and proviral DNA transcription by live-cell microscopy". #365DaysOfScience

They state that GFP-CA–labeled viral complexes enter and uncoat <1.5 h before integration in the nucleus within ∼1.5 μm of HIV-1 integration sites. Their studies provide evidence of CPSF6 recruitment as a critical requirement for nuclear import of viral cores. #365DaysOfScience

A positive respite among #CoronavirusOutbreak
"Coronavirus cases have dropped sharply in South Korea. What’s the secret to its success?" It had reported 74 new cases today, down from 909 at its peak on 29 February.
#365DaysOfScience
Good read here 👇

sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/c…

ACE2, an aminopeptidase has a vital role in the cardiovascular & immune systems is identified as a functional receptor for coronaviruses. The symptoms of #Covid_19 has been severe in patients with CVD due to elevated secretions of ACE2.
#365DaysOfScience

nature.com/articles/s4156…

SARS-CoV-2 is thought to infect host cells through ACE2 to cause COVID-19. Patients with underlying CVD & SARS-CoV-2 infection have an adverse prognosis. Therefore, particular attention should be given to cardiovascular protection during treatment for #Covid_19. #365DaysOfScience

Henneguya salminicola, an 8-millimeter white parasite is the only known animal that doesn’t need oxygen to survive. Closely related to jellyfish and hydroids, It infects the flesh of Chinook salmon. #365DaysOfScience @ScienceMagazine

sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/o…

Its cells have lost nuclear & mitochondrial genes involved in replication & transcription of the mitochondrial genome & genes related to aerobic respiration suggesting aerobic respiration, an important metabolic pathway, is not ubiquitous among animals @PNASNews #365DaysOfScience

@ScienceMagazine editorial on #Covid_19 by Editor in chief @hholdenthorp. Wonderful commentary in the times of crisis and significance of health care professionals, clinicians and scientists. #365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusPandemic

"Time to pull together"
science.sciencemag.org/content/367/64…

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusPandemic

"New Coronavirus Stable for Hours on Surfaces"

Aerosols: up to 3 h
Copper: up to 4 h
Cardboard: up to 24 h
Plastic and stainless steel: up to 2 to 3 days

#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusPandemic

nih.gov/news-events/ne…

Article published in @NEJM here 👇
nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…

#365DaysOfScience

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going" Here is writing on #CoronavirusPandemic in my Mother's tongue, #Bhojpuri to spread the word. #कोरोनावायरस के बारे में भोजपुरी में जानकारी आज के #365DaysOfScience में।
@WHO @MoHFW_INDIA
Give it a read here👇
tryambak.net/2020/03/corona…

Here is a Hindi translation of my #CoronavirusPandemic blog originally written in #Bhojpuri #StaySafeStayHome
#365DaysOfScience @UNinHindi @DDNewsHindi @iawoolford @drsureshpant @avtansa
Give it a read here👇
'#कोरोनावायरस महामारी पर हिंदी में जानकारी'
tryambak.net/2020/03/corona…

Wonderful computational analysis report by @neelbs group at @ICGEBNewDelhi. Using virtual screening they have shown that valproic acid Co-A forms stable interaction with nsp12 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV2.
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/neelbs/status/1242071818598375425?s=20

The rationale behind targetting RdRp of SARS-CoV2 lies in the fact that it shows no sequential or structural homology with human polymerases. This makes it a potential target for drug design and discovery. #365DaysOfScience

Valproic acid Co-A happens to be a good candidate in RdRp blocker which assists in blocking the interaction of divalent ions required for phosphoryl transfer step in the polymerisation reaction. #365DaysOfScience

With home Quarantine, might I suggest this timely article for Indian researchers by Dr Shahid Jameel @India_Alliance #365DaysOfScience
natureasia.com/en/nindia/arti…
Dr Jameel highlights the lack of collaboration and sharing of 'resources' among Indian scientists. #CoronaLockdown

Here is the recently launched open-access #COVID19/SARS-CoV-2 Resouce Platform from @ICGEB having different resource materials available ranging from protocols for RNA isolation, qRT-PCR, reagents for +ve control, and sequencing services. #365DaysOfScience
icgeb.org/covid19-resour…

Not wearing masks to protect against coronavirus is a ‘big mistake,’ top Chinese scientist says. An interview with Dr George Gao, DG of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with @ScienceMagazine
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/n…

"The big mistake in the U.S. and Europe, in my opinion, is that people aren’t wearing masks. This virus is transmitted by droplets and close contact. ..you’ve got to wear a mask because when you speak, there are always droplets coming out of your mouth." He says #365DaysOfScience

Must-read interview with Dr Gao at @ScienceMagazine with an expectation of clinical data of remdesivir coming up in April. #365DaysOfScience

"How stress can cause a fever"
Emotional stress can trigger psychogenic fever in many mammalian species, from rodents to humans.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Researchers injected viral ‘retrograde tracers’ into brown fat; tho good fat, to identify the brain region called the dorsal peduncular cortex & dorsal taenia tecta which is involved in psychogenic fever- an increase in body temperature in response to stress. #365DaysOfScience

"Deciphering cancer clues from blood"
Importance of CTCs lies in the cases of metastasis where liquid biopsy involving bodily fluids may provide a comprehensive snapshot of tumor burden and its molecular diversity at a given time. #365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/367/64…

With due course of evolution, cancer cells shed circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and associated products into the bloodstream which can provide important insight into cancer’s biology, response to treatment, and/ or potential therapeutic targets. #365DaysOfScience

‘I’m going to keep pushing.’ Anthony Fauci tries to make the White House listen to facts of the pandemic. Here is an interview of Dr. Fauci with @ScienceMagazine on today's #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/i…

"Lockdown in Italy: personal stories of doing science during the COVID-19 quarantine."
Stories of four researchers from Italy which is at the epicentre of #coronavirus pandemic in Europe in today's #365DaysOfScience @OnestiSilvia @ScienceMagazine
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Amidst #coronavirus pandemic outrageously escalating the number in India, this website designed and hosted by AIIMS, New Delhi will of great assistance to medical professionals and the general public.
#365DaysOfScience #coronavirusindia
Do follow it here: covid.aiims.edu

"You may be able to spread coronavirus just by breathing, new report finds"
“the results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing,” says Harvey Fineberg founder prez @MooreFound #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/s…

"The FDA-approved Drug Ivermectin inhibits the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro" Study by @TheDohertyInst fellows
#365DaysOfScience
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Published in Antiviral Research @ElsevierConnect it highlights that Ivermectin, broad-spectrum anti-parasitic agent, has caused 5000 folds reduction in the virus in 48h in cell culture. #365DaysOfScience

Researchers have infected Vero/hSLAM cell line with SARS-CoV-2 isolate from Australia, followed by the addition of ivermectin. Supernatant and cell pellets were analysed by RT-PCR for the replication of SARS-CoV-2 RNA showed significant reduction in viral RNA. #365DaysOfScience

"How evolution builds genes from scratch"
The ability of organisms to acquire new genes in this way is testament to evolution’s “plasticity to make something seemingly impossible, possible”.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

"Although de novo genes remain enigmatic, their existence makes one thing clear: evolution can readily make something from nothing."
Excellent take on the evolutionary pattern of genes.
#365DaysOfScience

Addressing major bottleneck, RNA isolation from the nasopharyngeal swab, this paper bypasses the RNA extraction step without affecting qRT-PCR sensitivity.
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/zhangf/status/1247208847787384832?s=20

Branding @Twitter on @Twitter
Here's is an interesting article on the usage of social media by academicians. #365DaysOfScience

journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…

Well, this is some news as scientists from the world’s largest particle-physics laboratory, @CERN join hands to fight against the #COVIDー19 pandemic.
#365DaysOfScience #CoronavirusOutbreak

#Coronavirus latest: CERN scientists join the COVID-19 fight.
nature.com/articles/d4158…

In the small cell bioreactor, the enzyme has been able to 90% of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), most commonly used plastic. Reports @RobertFService
#365DaysOfScience
‘A huge step forward.’ Mutant enzyme could vastly improve recycling of plastic bottles
sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/h…

The enzyme; leaf-branch compost cutinase cleaves the bonds between terephthalate & ethylene glycol has been engineered & mutant enzyme was isolated from the bacteria. This is 10k more efficient in PET bond cleavage & works at fairly high temp than its precursor.
#365DaysOfScience

“We will have many body bags in front of us if we don’t behave.” says @DrTedros
Hope this gets over sooner before turning ugly. Here is the link to the reporting by @sciencecohen on @ScienceMagazine
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/w…?

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am sharing the basics of “omics”. The introductory article on genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics submits the biology behind the data and where it comes from. @TDataScience @Medium
Pleasant read.👇
towardsdatascience.com/genomics-trans…

This is one inspiration biographical sketch of the living legend Prof. Shinya Yamanaka, @NobelPrize recipient in 2012. Good read in today's #365DaysOfScience here
nobelprize.org/prizes/medicin…

His breakthrough research on reprogramming intact mature cells from mice to become stem cells has opened new horizons for stem cell research. The article on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) published in @CellPressNews has more than 23k citations.
#365DaysOfScience

In a fitting tribute to the great physicists of India @rajasquest has made this documentary on lives and works of Prof Satyen Bose, Prof CV Raman, & Prof Meghnad Saha. A delightful watch in #HomeQuarantine
#365DaysOfScience
Vid courtesy @IndianDiplomacy

While receiving the @NobelPrize Prof Raman cried on the stage because unlike others, his chair had no flag of his country. He dedicated his Nobel Prize to the struggle of Indian freedom fighters who were spending the golden time of their lives in British Jails.
#365DaysOfScience

News Feature: Making and storing blood to save lives"
This news feature published in @PNASNews talks about the novel approaches employed in the storage, creation, and delivery of blood under emergency needs. Today's #365DaysOfScience article, here.
pnas.org/content/117/14…

The paper that made the news. "Forget single genes: CRISPR now cuts and splices whole chromosomes." CRISPR has been adapted to and combined with the tools of genetic engineering to cut & splice large genome fragments with ease in E. coli. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2019/08/f…

In today's #365DaysOfScience let's revisit the basics on clinical trials and related terminologies that have become increasingly popular and being looked at as great hope amidst the #CoronavirusOutbreak #clinicaltrials

Clinical trials are studies involving people aiming to evaluate biomedical/surgical/behavioural interventions. Basically, clinical trials are the foundations that are used to make treatments better. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

Say, a new drug/therapy/medical device comes into existence. To evaluate its efficacy, safety, effectiveness, and possible side effects clinical trials involving human participants come into play. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

Before a clinical trial, the potential therapy is tested for the efficacy and safety in pre-clinical studies involving cell lines and/or animals. With favourable results in pre-clinical studies, these are given a nod to go for a clinical trial. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

It has four phases:
Phase I: It involves a small group, a handful of individuals looking at safety, side effects, and to identify the correct drug dosage. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

Phase II: Now that safety is known, phase II trials emphasize the effectiveness in a particular disease/condition involving a population size of 100-300. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

Phase III: Using the data from phase II trials, it is a large randomized controlled trial to get more info on every aspect of the drug gathered previously including combinations on a large scale population. It is this stage the drug/interventions gets approval. #365DaysOfScience

Phase IV: Some trials continue to be monitored for effectiveness in the large divergent population for a longer period of time. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

Why participate in clinical trials? #365DaysOfScience
A thread for participants to stop hesitating and why to be a part of #clinicaltrials

Better Outcome. Patients who participate in clinical trials always tend to do better than those who don't. It is worth mentioning here is that clinical trials always compare the standard of care to something we assume to be better. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

Clinical trials are the only way we get new therapies today.
There are underlying altruistic reasons to participate. Sometimes, the new drug may not be of immediate help to the participants but it lays the foundation of better therapies. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

With more people participating, we get more data which can be better suited for a diverse population. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

It is also worth mentioning to participants that they are not being used as human Guinea pigs. There is a layer of ethics and good clinical practice involved. Further, participants can withdraw anytime without affecting their treatment with the host institution. #365DaysOfScience

In addition to clinical trials or interventional studies, there are specimen studies, looking at biomarkers for prediction studies; prevention trials, and surveys/questionnaires. #365DaysOfScience #clinicaltrials

"Early treatment with the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir significantly reduced clinical disease and damage to the lungs of rhesus macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2"
#365DaysOfScience @NIAIDNews #REMDESIVIR #CoronaVirusUpdate

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1237247827228712960?s=20

In contrast to vehicle-treated animals, animals treated with remdesivir did not show signs of respiratory disease and had significantly reduced virus titers in bronchoalveolar lavages. #365DaysOfScience #REMDESIVIR #CoronaVirusUpdate
niaid.nih.gov/news-events/an…

Giant viruses aren’t alive. So why have they stolen genes essential for life?
Today's #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/g…

Why @WHO?
Article highlighting the significance of WHO and why we need international collaboration in these testing times. @DrTedros
#365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/early/…

@nature classics today. This article describes the Köhler and Milstein paper in 1971 where they reported the production of monoclonal antibodies of known specificity from cell lines. @MRC_LMB

#365DaysOfScience
Nature news and views here👇
nature.com/articles/d4158…

The authors fused antibody-producing spleen cells with myeloma cells, immortal cell lines secreting non-specific antibodies. The hybridoma cells grown on selection media were identified and grown to generate antibodies. Both awarded @NobelPrize in 1984. #365DaysOfScience

"Monoclonal antibodies are nowadays often generated by isolating or transforming antibody-producing cells taken directly from immunized animals or patients, and transplanting the antibody-encoding genes of these cells into suitable producer cell lines." #365DaysOfScience

How do I switch to a new research topic? [VIDEO]
In today's #365DaysOfScience from @CrossTalkCP
crosstalk.cell.com/blog/how-do-i-…

NIH organizes hunt for drugs
Today's #365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/368/64…

Quick notes on Meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) in today's #365DaysOfScience.
X chromosome inactivation is a process by which one out of two copies of the X chromosome present in female mammals is inactivated by several mechanisms. #365DaysOfScience

It may be random or non-random depending upon the specificity of silencing of the X chromosome. XIST and TSIX genes play a role in random X chromosome inactivation, while in later the silencing is imprinted in X chromosome itself. #365DaysOfScience

Meiotic sex chromosome inactivation is another form of X-inactivation that takes place in the males. It is an epigenetic silencing process that occurs in the male germ cells, the spermatocytes during spermatogenesis when germ cells enter meiosis to form sperm. #365DaysOfScience

The X and Y chromosomes being different in the structure are largely heterologous and show homologous synapsis only at the small pseudoautosomal region (PAR). #365DaysOfScience

MSCI is a manifestation of a general meiotic silencing mechanism called meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin. The unsynapsed regions are subject to MSCI, leading to X and Y gene silencing and formation of the sex body. #365DaysOfScience

In the XY condensed state, the genes on the X and Y chromosomes are inaccessible to the cell’s transcriptional machinery, effectively causing chromosome-wide silencing.#365DaysOfScience

MSCI was previously thought to be mediated in much the same way as somatic X chromosome inactivation (XCI). XCI is initiated by an X-encoded RNA called Xist (inactive X specific transcript), which coats the X chromosome from which it is transcribed. #365DaysOfScience

It is regulated by specialized proteins and modifications that together establish a unique chromatin structure. In mammals, recognition of the unsynapsed X chromosome requires components of the chromosome synaptonemal complex. #365DaysOfScience

The act of silencing itself is dependent upon phosphorylation of histone H2AFX, (histone family H2A, member X) & is abundant in the mammalian testis, in contrast to other tissues. It plays an essential role in the DNA-damage response & is rapidly phosphorylated. #365DaysOfScience

Over the past few years, it has been discovered that meiotic silencing is not particularly associated with the X and Y chromosomes. It means if autosomes remain unsynapsed at the pachytene stage, they are also subject to silencing. #365DaysOfScience

This silencing event was christened ‘meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin’ (MSUC), and MSCI is thereafter acknowledged within the category of MSUC, specifically affecting the sex chromosomes. #365DaysOfScience

Furthermore, it is not only restricted to males, but MSUC can also occur in females as well, viz. In chickens, the female is the heterogametic sex, Z & W. #365DaysOfScience

Here is a very meticulously written article on "Where Do New Genes Come From?" Great read on the @QuantaMagazine.
#365DaysOfScience
quantamagazine.org/where-do-new-g…

My favorite YouTuber @armandohasudung comes up with an illustrative video on #COVID19. Give it a watch.
#365DaysOfScience
COVID-19 (SARS Coronavirus 2) - timeline, pathophysiology (ARDS), coronavirus life cycle, treatment via @YouTube

An interesting graphical guide of different vaccine development plan followed across the world. Protein-based vaccines are the most commonly worked on while industry partners lead the hunt for vaccine development by a significant margin. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/NatureNews/status/1255466896813633539?s=20

"An ACE therapy for COVID-19"
ACE2, present abundantly in the lungs, is a membrane protein that serves as the attachment point of SARS-CoV-2. Monteil et al. worked on human recombinant soluble ACE2 (hrsACE2) in cell and organoid culture.
#365DaysOfScience
stm.sciencemag.org/content/12/541…

hrsACE2 reduced viral recovery from host cell cultures which were spread across infected capillary and kidney organoids. Authors suggest the 'soluble enzyme may inhibit the spread of infection and lower viral loads which may correlate with disease severity.' #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am reviewing this wonderful article from the Journal of Pathology published in 2004 when SARS emerged from SARS-CoV. The authors evaluated ACE2 protein localization in various human organs. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.10…

Three negative controls were used in the study were control sections with
-synthetic peptide against the Ab
-unrelated Ab
-no primary Ab
#365DaysOfScience

The ACE2 is present in endothelial cells from the arteries and veins in all the tissues studied. Marked ACE2 immunostaining was found in alveolar epithelial cells in normal lungs which was reciprocated in lung type II alveolar epithelial cell line A549. #365DaysOfScience

The endothelial lining of the sinusoids in the liver, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes were negative for ACE2. T lymphocytes and macrophages were consistently negative for ACE2. The kidney had weak to moderate positivity. #365DaysOfScience

The most remarkable finding they report is the surface expression of ACE2 protein on lung alveolar epithelial cells and enterocytes of the small intestine, ie cells in contact with the external environment. #365DaysOfScience

In the discussion section authors open about the possibility of co-receptor of SARS-CoV like in HIV. The novel SARS-CoV2 also uses ACE2 as a receptor for entry. #365DaysOfScience

Here is an article from @CellCellPress which is in continuation with the previous article of ACE2 receptor employed by SARS-CoV2. #365DaysOfScience sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

This article is of prime importance since they highlight that serum derived from convalescent SARS patients cross neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 entry. #365DaysOfScience

The host cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 can be blocked by a cellular serine protease TMPRSS2, which is employed by SARS-CoV-2 for S protein priming.#365DaysOfScience

A catalog of cancer-driving mutations in healthy tissue
Good read in today's #365DaysOfScience @nature
nature.com/articles/d4158…

"The authors found 12 genes that contained driver mutations with statistically increased prevalence in normal endometrial tissue compared with that in other tissues." #365DaysOfScience

"These genes are all known to be frequently mutated in cancer, and, collectively, these mutations have the potential to affect many cellular processes." #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience we are going through quick notes on scientometrics; study and analysis of scientific literature using some common scientometric indexes. These metrics provide how 'good' journal/researcher is.
Here are some indexes used for journals.

Impact factor: It is calculated as the number of citations received in a particular year divided by the citable articles published in the last two years. #365DaysOfScience

Without divulging into the controversies, say, IF of a journal tells the relative importance of a journal in a particular field. #365DaysOfScience
More here @webofscience
clarivate.com/webofsciencegr…

Science citation index: It is a bibliography indexed database that allows a researcher to identify which article of a particular author has been cited in which article. It is offered by @clarivate prev. @thomsonreuters and @Scopus by @ElsevierConnect #365DaysOfScience

Apart from @webofscience and @Scopus, Google Scholar also offers citation counts and indexes a vast array of peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, preprints, abstracts, patents, theses, etc. #365DaysOfScience

Besides journals, there are some author-level metrics that provide the statistical scores to individual authors/researchers to track their impact or how often are they cited. Let's go through some common ones. #365DaysOfScience

h-index: It quantifies the scientific productivity and citation impact of the article published by the researcher. It has a correlation to the prestige of the scientist such as indicative of receiving a grant/prize/fellowships. Here is a simple graph to help. #365DaysOfScience

Also used commonly is the RG score by @ResearchGate. It also measures the scientific repute of the scholars by assigning a numerical value based on how one's work is received by the peers. #365DaysOfScience

Here is a picturesque timeline that traces the evolutionary understanding of time through a history of observations.
#365DaysOfScience
quantamagazine.org/what-is-time-a…

An interesting finding from Wang et. al. reported in @NatureComms. They report a cross-neutralizing monoclonal antibody that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 and also prev. gen SARS-CoV in cell culture. #365DaysOfScience #COVID19
nature.com/articles/s4146…

The authors report the forming of a chimeric antibody out of SARS-S hybridoma supernatants that displayed ELISA-cross-reactivity with the SARS2-S1 subunit. The S1B domain assists in viral binding to ACE2 protein to facilitate the entry to the cell. #365DaysOfScience #COVID19

The antibody was reformatted to a fully human IG, expressing human variable chain regions into a human IgG1 isotype backbone. This antibody targets a conserved epitope in the SARS2-S-S1B receptor-binding domain. All in all very interesting findings. #365DaysOfScience #COVID19

A very interesting finding by Montopoli et. al. in @Annals_Oncology. #365DaysOfScience
Enjoy the journal pre-proof here.
annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-…

The rationale: TMPRSS2 is required for priming of viral Spike protein to facilitate the SARS-CoV2 entry to the host. TMPRSS2 is upregulated in prostate cancer (PC) and its transcription is regulated by the Androgen Receptor (AR).
#365DaysOfScience

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the standard of care in prostate ca (CRPC). Laboratory studies have demonstrated that androgen deprivation reduces TMPRSS2 transcription. Hence, authors postulate ADT may assist in prostate cancer pt with #COVID19 infections #365DaysOfScience

Out of all extracted data, 8.5% of #COVID19 patients had a diagnosis of cancer and 1.3% had prostate cancer. They report that pt receiving ADT had a significantly lower risk of SARS-CoV2 infection compared to the pt who did not receive ADT. #365DaysOfScience

News Feature in @PNASNews in today's #365DaysOfScience
To counter the pandemic, clinicians bank on repurposed drugs pnas.org/content/early/…

The visual journey on the path of development of the pandemic and "The race is on for antibodies that stop the new coronavirus" in today's #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/r…

Interesting perspective in synthetic biology. @ScienceMagazine #365DaysOfScience
Toward artificial photosynthesis science.sciencemag.org/content/368/64…

This is the story of a PhD student and how this COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the research. Disserting in the times of Corona. #365DaysOfScience
A Ph.D. on hold—indefinitely science.sciencemag.org/content/368/64…

Wonderful article on cancer dynamics and screening prior to detection. #365DaysOfScience
The challenge of early detection in cancer science.sciencemag.org/content/368/64…

In the series of articles on gut microbiota, this one deserves special mention. In this unexpected discovery, faecal samples analysis reveals that obese individuals taking statins have a ‘healthier’ community of gut microbes than expected #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Statins are the cholesterol-lowering drugs by decreasing the production of cholesterol in the liver. To address confounding by indication a large scale clinical trial is to be done. #365DaysOfScience

A paradigm-changing study in #immunology by @MichaelLDustin et. al. providing the mechanism of how killer T cells secrete granzymes & perforin triggering the infected and cancerous cells to commit suicide. Article in @ScienceMagazine for #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/i…

They report "the cells package the molecules into containers the team calls supramolecular attack particles, or SMAPs. The SMAPs contain more than 280 other kinds of proteins in addition to perforin and granzymes. #365DaysOfScience

Good news for people with advanced TNBC.
#365DaysOfScience @US_FDA
FDA grants accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan-hziy for metastatic triple negative breast cancer fda.gov/drugs/drug-app…

Earlier published in @NEJM by Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy is an antibody-drug conjugate having specificity for refractory metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This is welcomed in people with advanced TNBC with limited treatment options. #365DaysOfScience

Interesting take on age-old curiosity. #365DaysOfScience
How Venus flytraps evolved their taste for meat sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/h…

Something I wanted to discuss for quite some time. Liquid Biopsy has numerous advantages with limited drawbacks. The graphics, itself is sufficient enough to give an overview. #365DaysOfScience

Circulating Tumor DNA Testing—Liquid Biopsy of a Cancer ja.ma/2WXhUqw

One thing they missed out in the disadvantages of liquid biopsy is it doesn't provide tissue architecture of the biopsied sample by the pathologist. #365DaysOfScience

Another workflow of liquid biopsy for personalized patient care is down here. #365DaysOfScience
roche.com/dam/jcr:e04fbe…

Here is a thorough article on the liquid biopsy in the early detection of cancer and limitations. #365DaysOfScience
cancer.gov/news-events/ca…

T cells found in COVID-19 patients ‘bode well’ for long-term immunity #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/t…

"two studies reveal infected people harbor T cells that target the virus-and may help them recover."

"Both studies also found some people never infected with SARS-CoV-2 have these cellular defenses, most likely because they were previously infected with other coronaviruses" #365DaysOfScience

On a lazy afternoon, might I suggest this wonderful anecdote on the pandemics of the past? #365DaysOfScience

From Black Death to fatal flu, past pandemics show why people on the margins suffer most

https://twitter.com/lizzie_wade/status/1260953515486318592?s=20

Authors term the pandemics as an occasional leveler of the economic disparity. However, in #COVID__19 "Cases there have been concentrated in poorer ZIP codes, where people live in crowded apartments and can’t work from home or flee to vacation homes. #365DaysOfScience

A stark reality of "female academics, taking up increased childcare responsibilities, were falling behind their male peers at work." #365DaysOfScience

Are women publishing less during the pandemic? Here’s what the data say nature.com/articles/d4158…

Societal stratification on the basis of immunity passports and other good points against this idea. #365DaysOfScience

Ten reasons why immunity passports are a bad idea nature.com/articles/d4158…

Scientists from both countries must rise above political rhetoric for the sake of all, against #CoronavirusOutbreak
#365DaysOfScience
Science superpowers after COVID-19 lockdowns lift: a letter of hope from China to the United States nature.com/articles/d4158…

This is great review explaining the major steps in the phylogenetic pipeline. Since the advent of genomic technologies, our understanding of the basis of different evolutionary analyses have taken a radical changes. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4157…

Here's a consolidated image of the phylogenetic pipeline. Key steps
1. Identifying orthologous genes
2. Aligning orthologues from different species
3. Multiple sequence alignment and application of appropriate substitution matrices to mitigate potential errors. #365DaysOfScience

"This study paves the way for the identification of poly(UG)-tailed RNAs in other species, and the exploration of their roles in other biological processes." in today's #365DaysOfScience
Genes silenced down the generations, thanks to tails on messenger RNA nature.com/articles/d4158…

This is a great meta-analysis of the microbiota inside human body published in @PLOSCompBiol #365daysofscience
A Guide to Enterotypes across the Human Body: MetaAnalysis of Microbial Community Structures in Human Microbiome Datasets
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/a…

Obtaining the data from the Human Microbiome Project (16S rRNA gene sequence; NGS) and whole-genome shotgun sequences, authors report the distinct gradient of key genera without discrete clustering of samples.
#365DaysOfScience
Image: Bacterial diversity clusters by body habitat

The authors mentioned in the paper explain the differences between each person’s genetic code and what that means for their individual development and health. #365DaysOfScience
Thousands of human sequences provide deep insight into single genomes nature.com/articles/d4158…

The gnomAD project is the extension of ExAC which cataloged genetic variation in the exomes from more than 60,000 people. The gnomAD cataloged not only SNVs across the whole genome but also more-complex structural variants, which span >50 nucleotides.
#365DaysOfScience

"The gnomAD, like ExAC, will change how we interpret individual genomes. It has revealed how much information about human variation we had been missing & has provided tools that help us to better understand the genome at both the population & individual level." #365DaysOfScience

Wonderful article on the “nasal microbiome” that may help us against the chronic sinus inflammation or even allergies. @ucdavis #365DaysOfScience
These bacteria have adapted to life in your nose—and that may be good news sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/t…

What an excellent @TEDTalks on CRISPR by the inventor herself; one of the greatest minds of our times, Dr. Jennifer Doudna. #365DaysOfScience
How CRISPR lets us edit our DNA | Jennifer Doudna

@YouTube comments are lit. #365DaysOfScience

Great summarization of plasma therapy against #COVID19 in today's #365DaysOfScience
Can plasma from COVID-19 survivors help save others?
sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/c…

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am sharing this abstract from @ASCO where the researchers present their findings of phase III clinical trial. They report Capecitabine treatment in TNBC has significantly improved DFS but not OS.
#ASCO2020
meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/184912/…

I reviewed this article from Dr Anil Suri's lab on the knockdown of AKAP4 which is associated with tumor progression in breast cancer including others. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/NImmunology/status/1263085746975461376?s=20

They present a significant reduction in cellular growth and migration in AKAP4 knockdown MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. They also report the enhanced effect of Paclitaxel in the above-mentioned cell lines followed by AKAP4 Knockdown and induces apoptosis. #365DaysOfScience

It seems the adaptability to change is hard for some. However, the new @NCBI PubMed destines to be more user-friendly and navigation/filters equipped. #365DaysOfScience
They redesigned PubMed, a beloved website. It hasn’t gone over well sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/t…

Interesting take on the promises and the aftermath of the Human Genome Project in today's #365DaysOfScience
The Inflated Promise of Genomic Medicine blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/t… via @sciam

AI from @Google is more accurate spotting breast cancer in mammograms than manually done by radiologists with lesser false-positive rates. #365DaysOfScience

scientificamerican.com/article/google… via @sciam

In the series on Science after #coronavirus, this article deals with the virtual clinical trials and aftermath of the pandemic. #365DaysOfScience
The coronavirus outbreak could make it quicker and easier to trial drugs nature.com/articles/d4158…

"Researchers describe a single function that accurately describes all existing available data on active cases and deaths--and predicts forthcoming peaks." Cool. #365DaysOfScience eurekalert.org/e/9zgn via @sfiscience @EurekAlert

"Cows make good antibody factories, & not just because they have more blood than smaller animals engineered to synthesize human versions of the proteins. Their blood can also contain twice as many antibodies per milliliter as human blood" #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/c…

In the remembrance of Dr Crick, born OTD in 1916, who would change how we perceive molecular biology. His work on the structure of DNA is regarded as one of the greatest scientific discovery of all times.
Happy Birthday! 🎂 @TheCrick #365DaysOfScience crick.ac.uk/about-us/our-h…

Interestingly, he also postulated the "Central Dogma" in 1970. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1217510963076718593?s=20

"Sulkowski et al. reveal how several metabolites that accumulate to high levels in tumour cells suppress DNA repair, thus revealing a direct link between altered metabolism and genome instability caused by DNA damage" #365DaysOfScience nature.com/articles/d4158…

@PNASNews Opinion calling for a coordinated global pandemic interception system, in today's #365DaysOfScience
Opinion: Intercepting pandemics through genomics pnas.org/content/early/…

In the wake of #BlackLifesMatters the @CellCellPress editors highlight the underrepresentation of black scientists in academia. Here is the editorial with the proposed action. #365DaysOfScience

Science Has a Racism Problem cell.com/cell/fulltext/…

Wonderful commentary on Z-DNA and its relevance in cancer and autoimmune diseases. The hunt is now on to discover drugs that could target Z-DNA and the proteins that bind to it, in order to manipulate the expression of local genes.#365DaysOfScience …the--scientist-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.the-sc…

Neutrophils that are tasked with defending against infections also promote metastasis in many contexts. The neutrophil extracellular trap by neutrophils interacts with & triggers signaling cascade that boosts invasiveness & proliferation #365DaysOfScience nature.com/articles/d4158…

Tributes to the remarkable immunologist Karl Landsteiner on his Birth anniversary. He is famously known for the classification of ABO blood groups in 1909, suggesting its inheritance pattern, and its significance in resolving paternity. #365DaysOfScience

Happy Birthday!

At @RockefellerInst he contributed to the discovery of the Rh-factor in the blood which correlates to Rh+/-. devoted his life to the chemistry of antigens, antibodies, and other immunological factors that occur in the blood. #365DaysOfScience @NobelPrize
nobelprize.org/prizes/medicin…

Here is a glimpse of the handwritten notes of Marshall Nirenberg who shared @NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968 with Holley and Khorana "for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis." #365DaysOfScience
washingtonpost.com/health/how-gen…

The first person to challenge the notion that the genome is not a stationary entity but subject to alteration & rearrangement; something that met with criticism from the scientific community of that time
Happy Birthday Barbara McClintock! #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1236683503317602304?s=20

"If you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off... no matter what they say."

She was awarded the 1983 @NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine "for her discovery of mobile genetic elements." #365DaysOfScience

Here is a publication from our lab on genomic analysis of a Coronavirus isolate from India. We report that the predominant strain circulating in India is of A2a clad (60%) that eases its entry to the lung cells. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/biorxivpreprint/status/1272408654541701120?s=20

Using comprehensive genomic and proteomic tools several potential antigenic epitopes in the SARS-CoV-2 isolates from India have been identified that have the potential to serve as an excellent vaccine candidate. #365DaysOfScience

In one of the world’s biggest randomized, controlled trials for coronavirus treatments, the RECOVERY reports that dexamethasone, a steroid drug reduces coronavirus induced mortality particularly in critically ill patients on ventilators. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

#dexamethasone #365DaysOfScience

Interesting take on the computation analysis for Social Science research.
#365DaysOfScience
How Facebook, Twitter and other data troves are revolutionizing social science nature.com/articles/d4158…

A Beginners guide for the cancer staging with a reference to Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer in today's #365DaysOfScience
What Does My Stage of Cancer Mean? ja.ma/2UN8rBZ

The article of today's #365DaysOfScience is based on #yoga. Published in Translational Psychiatry @nresearchnews, this article aimed to investigate the impact of an 8-week yoga intervention in women reporting psychological distress. #YogaDay #YogaForAll nature.com/articles/tp201…

Although a growing body of psychological literature demonstrates #yoga reduces stress, negative feelings & clinical symptoms of depression & anxiety; our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the modulatory effect of yoga remains limited. #365DaysOfScience

The epigenetic regulation of inflammatory changes results in the gene to ultimately protein expression that can be altered by envt factors viz. stress. Epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, are widely studied as relevant biomarkers for mental illness #365DaysOfScience

The authors evaluated the epidemiological effect of #yoga intervention on inflammatory markers associated with depression such as IL6, TNF, CRP, and the DNA methylation of these genes in the subjects. #365DaysOfScience

Authors report a significant reduction in the mean methylation of the TNF region as a whole and decreased IL6 methylation, albeit non-significant. #365DaysOfScience

Overall, the study found that an 8-week yoga intervention, requiring at least weekly practice, is associated with some changes in immune protein and DNA methylation biomarkers. It warrants further large-scale research to explore underlying epigenetic mechanisms. #365DaysOfScience

Genome instability & altered metabolism are linked to cancer without proper reporting on the crosstalk between these two. This @nature article reveals how certain metabolites suppress DNA repair, thus establishing a direct link in cancer. #365DaysOfScience nature.com/articles/d4158…

The preprint on this study is out yesterday on @medrxivpreprint under the running title: "Dexamethasone for COVID-19 – Preliminary Report"
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1273575716563546113?s=20

It reports that #Dexamethasone reduced mortality by one-third in patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation or oxygen at randomization, but not among patients not receiving respiratory support. #365DaysOfScience
Link to the paper👇
medrxiv.org/content/10.110…

In concluding remarks the 'RECOVERY' team writes "Dexamethasone provides an effective treatment for the sickest patients with COVID19 and, given its low cost, well understood safety profile, and widespread availability, is one that can be used worldwide." #365DaysOfScience

Organoid models are better in terms of studying cancer and are employed to study SARS-CoV-2 infection. A team of researchers from @KyotoU_News report the virus target mainly basal stem cells in bronchial organoids developed. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

In another study involving organoid stated that the coronavirus infects the endothelium lining the blood vessels, allowing the leakage into blood vessels & transport throughout the body. This has been supported by the pathological examination of blood vessels. #365DaysOfScience

It is hoped 'that organoids can be used to test potential COVID-19 therapies, some of which have already been rushed through to clinical trials without extensive testing in cell and animal models." #365DaysOfScience

Eureka on @rajyasabhatv with Dr @AnuragAgrawalMD on @IGIBSocial contribution to FELUDA, #coronavirus preparedness and others. Fascinating talk. #365DaysOfScience

Accumulating evidences suggest that the application of CRISPR Cas9 to treat genetic diseasea affected the regions of the chromosome. More to follow. #365DaysOfScience
CRISPR gene editing in human embryos wreaks chromosomal mayhem nature.com/articles/d4158…

Authors in this article present 'fiber-seq', a technique that identifies the chromatin structure at nearly single-molecular level. This can help in elucidating the relation between regulatory DNA activation and nucleosome positioning. #365DaysOfScience science.sciencemag.org/content/368/64…

Here is @ScienceMagazine reportage on #dexamethasone RECOVERY trial. And rightly put "drug can help treat patients who are already sick, but not prevent the illness in the first place.” #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/c…

@PNASNews News Feature on how increased air pollution is causing cardiovascular problems but also cognitive decline. #365DaysOfScience A snippet from the article. pnas.org/content/117/25…

Today is the birthday of two of the outstanding biotechnologists who shaped the modern genetic engineering, both Professor Emeritus at @Stanford Paul Berg and Stanley N Cohen.

Paul Berg at @Stanford pioneered the recombinant DNA technology. In the landmark Experiment of gene splicing in 1971, he inserted the φ DNA into SV40 DNA; cut using restriction endonuclease EcoRI. This was the first recombinant DNA. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday !!

This gene splicing & introduction of rDNA into a suitable host is a fundamental step in genetic engineering. He later had to address ethical questions arising from the use & potential dangers of the recombinant DNA. Awarded the Chemistry @NobelPrize in 1980. #365DaysOfScience

After the development of rDNA, the next big thing was to introduce & replicate the rDNA into a suitable host. Stanley N Cohen in collaboration with Herbert Boyer from @UCSF furthered the field of genetic engineering by introducing the rDNA into E coli. #365DaysOfScience

It brought a revolution in genetic engineering. They also joined different antibiotic-resistant genes together and introduced them in E coli thereby disproving the prevalent theory that the genetic material cannot be transferred b/w species. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday !!

Together the works of Berg, Cohen, Boyer, and numerous others paved the way to recombinant insulin and the evergrowing Biotech Industry. #365DaysOfScience

The second outburst of the Ebola virus in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has officially ended. It resurfaced in August 2018 with a fatality rate of 66%, thanks to successive vaccine rollouts. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Doxorubicin, an anthracycline drug given to over a million cancer patients each year is associated with toxicity, but cardiac problems and DNA damage. The authors present a tweaked version of dox that works the same without side effects. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/n…

Krausgruber et al. propose that structural cells, fibroblasts, endothelial, & epithelial cells express other genes encoding ligands and receptors that might aid in communication with immune cells. #365DaysOfScience
An antiviral response beyond immune cells nature.com/articles/d4158…

In this retrospective cohort study, hydroxychloroquine alone and in combination with azithromycin has been associated with reduction in COVID-19 associated mortality. Prospective trials awaited. #365DaysOfScience #Hydroxychloroquine #Azithromycin
ijidonline.com/article/S1201-…

In today's #365DaysOfScience we are going to explore the solvents, their types, & properties. A solvent dissolves a solute to make the solution. On the basis of polarity which is measured in terms of the dielectric constant, solvents are classified into Polar or Non-Polar.

Polar solvents have hydrogen atom bound to a relatively electronegative element such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine. These have large dielectric constants. Examples are water, ethanol, acetone, etc. #365DaysOfScience

Non-Polar solvents contain hydrogen bound to the atom of similar electronegativity. This calls for a lack of relative charges on the atoms, and hence non-polar. These have low dielectric constants. Examples are hexane, benzene, chloroform, etc. #365DaysOfScience

Solvents may be protic or aprotic depending upon the feasibility of donating protons (H+) to the solutes. Protic solvents have O-H or N-H bonds that can take part in Hydrogen bonding. Aprotic solvents do not have acidic hydrogen and thus are not H- bond donors. #365DaysOfScience

Polar aprotic solvents have intermediate dielectric constants and polarity. Polar protic solvents have high dielectric constants and high polarity. #365DaysOfScience

A talk was given by his holiness the 14th @DalaiLama at the annual meeting of the @SfNtweets in 2005. Afresh philosophical perspective and the relationship between the spiritual tradition of Buddhism and the modern sciences. #365DaysOfScience #DalaiLama
dalailama.com/messages/buddh…

His Holiness the 14th @DalaiLama of #Tibet is the voice of compassion, spirituality, and non-violence. I bow to the man of science and wisdom, the #DalaiLama on his Birthday. May you live long to propagate your teachings. Happy Birthday!! #365DaysOfScience

In clinical research, while depicting the survival function Kaplan Meier's analysis is widely used. This is a detailed article by @RubenVanPaemel in @TDataScience on KM understanding for a researcher without much of mathematics. #365DaysOfScience
towardsdatascience.com/kaplan-meier-c…

An honest review from a professor's POV on the art of dissertating. He quotes one of his professors saying "Put $1 in your dissertation on file at the library and check back 10 years later, and the $1 will still be there."😃#365DaysOfScience via @chronicle
chronicle.com/article/The-No…

An intriguing combination of ARV and nicotinamide in ‘São Paulo Patient’ resulted in the absence of HIV antigens in blood for >66 weeks and counting without ARV. This strategy, however, worked in only 1 out of 5 patients under trial. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/i…

Graphic summary of how monoclonal antibodies such as trastuzumab, pembrolizumab, and rituximab are used to treat cancer. This video will help mAb application in cancer research reach the masses. Simple and subtle. @theNCI #365DaysOfScience
cancer.gov/about-cancer/t…

@theNCI @ScienceMagazine editorial by CEO @aaas @sudipsparikh on #VisaRestrictions for immigrants to the USA. He argues that immigrant scientists have been the foundation of the American science journey and employment generation for its people. #365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/369/65…

Taking a cue from endosymbiotic theory, @mhdmoraes et al. have employed bacterial cytidine deaminase toxin in the genome editing of mitochondrial DNA. This targeted change is critical because "CRISPR couldn't" achieve this.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/n…

Another reporting of the mitochondrial genome editing from @nature #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

To bring the prospects of mitochondrial diseases down, this article focusses on the mitochondrial replacement technique (MRT). The mitochondrial diseases have their severity as per the proportions of mutant mtDNA transmitted from mothers #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/natur…

The MRT talks about replacing the mutated mitochondrial DNAs with the healthy ones. This can be achieved either by pronuclei transfer post-fertilization into a donor cell with healthy mtDNA or pre-fertilized nuclear DNA to be transferred into a nucleus-free egg. #365DaysOfScience

"The authors successfully used meiotic-spindle transfer to produce embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage and that carried a virtually undetectable proportion of mutant mtDNAs." #365DaysOfScience

With the growing need for antibodies against #coronavirus, & several potential candidates being investigated, let's comprehend their names. The International Nonproprietary Names ensures generic/nonproprietary names to monoclonal antibodies accepted globally. #365DaysOfScience

To the stem 'mab' various substems are used to denote their origin of species/target class. The prefixes are variable with (no) certain meaning. Link to the revised scheme of monoclonal antibody (mAb) nomenclature from @WHO wef May 2017. #365DaysOfScience
who.int/medicines/serv…

Here is a great illustration to understand the nomenclature scheme with examples. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/ClinChemDoc/status/1102570153320026113?s=20

The reemergence of the #coronavirus in the convalescing patients. The recent research in @ScienceMagazine on rhesus macaques mildly infected with SARS-CoV-2 did not show any detectable viral dissemination or clinical manifestations. #365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/early/…

The macaques exhibited fever unrelated to the first infection after being reexposed to the SARS-CoV-2 post-recovery. However, no other signs of the infection or viral load were seen for two weeks. It is reassuring to have antibodies during the first infection. #365DaysOfScience

It will require more research to access to what extent and severity the initial exposure will result in antibody production. This will raise hope for acquired immunity in humans putting them at low risk for reinfection. #365DaysOfScience

Here is an interesting data on DNA sequencing costs. Over the course of 18 years, with the advent of 'Next-gen sequencing', the costs of sequencing have remarkably scaled down overwhelmingly Moore's law.
#365DaysOfScience
More on @genome_gov 👇
genome.gov/about-genomics…

The cost per Megabase of DNA Sequence:
👉Sep 2001: 5,292$
👉August 2019: 0.01$

Cost per Genome (human-sized):
👉Sep 2001: 95,263,072$
👉August 2019: 942$

#365DaysOfScience

After nearly 2 decades, researchers from @ucsc @genome_gov & others finally elucidate the telomere-to-telomere assembly of the X chromosome. It involved mapping satellite, pseudoautosomal regions, & other gaps in current ref genome GRCh38 #365DaysOfScience
rdcu.be/b5E5R

The presence of repetitive DNA segments posed a greater challenge. With the available technology, it was difficult to identify and differentiate between the repeated sequences from one another for genome assembly using the clone contig approach. #365DaysOfScience

The 'X' chromosome was selected because of its involvement in a multitude of diseases, including hemophilia, R/G color blindness, SCID, etc. This paves the way to profile methylation patterns and epigenetic marks such as X chromosome inactivation. #365DaysOfScience

It is expected to contribute to our understanding of chromosome function, human diseases, and genomic variation. This affirms the notion that complete sequencing of the entire human genome is now within reach. Congratulations for this milestone.

#365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience let's look at this closest-ever picture of the sun taken. Taken by the ultraviolet imager the images were captured 77 million kilometers from the Sun’s surface. How fascinating! 😍
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Reports from 'UMBRELA' trial that investigated the effectiveness of different targeted therapies on non-small cell lung cancers.
#365DaysOfScience
An umbrella approach to test lung cancer therapies nature.com/articles/d4158…

Rarely born are the people who change the course of science and pioneer the birth of a new field. Today is the birthday of one of the towering legend of 'well-controlled and brilliantly-designed' plant hybridization experiments. Happy Birthday, Gregor Mendel!🥞
#365DaysOfScience

The man of science whose work was not appreciated until after his death. Among all the scientific experiments carried out, I don't know if any has penetrance of this level. All science kids now know him, his experiments with pea plant, results, & interpretation.
#365DaysOfScience

Here is his seminal paper; "Experiments in Plant Hybridization". Originally published in Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Brünn, it has been translated from German to English by William Bateson as a revival of his legacy. #365DaysOfScience
esp.org/foundations/ge…

He was a hero since my high school biology teacher @ASHOKKUMARpgtb sir would present a biographic sketch of 'Mendel Sahab' before the genetics class. His work was clearly ahead of time. Tributes to the "Father of Genetics".

#365DaysOfScience

“My scientific studies have afforded me great gratification; and I am convinced that it will not be long before the whole world acknowledges the results of my work.”
Gregor Mendel.
#365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience I am going through the @nature classics on Köhler and Milstein's publication on utilizing cell lines as factories to produce monoclonal antibodies of known specificity. Both awarded @NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1282943079364739072?s=20

They fused antibody-producing spleen cells with myeloma cells to create hybridoma cells that would lead to
-Immortalization of spleen cells
-secretion of unlimited amounts of monoclonal antibodies of known specificity

Link to their paper
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/25649…

This fuelled the ever-growing field of isolation/manipulation of antibodies in multiple ways and the generation of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies for viral diseases.
#365DaysOfScience
Here is their approach to the generation of mAb. @MRC_LMB
📷@nature

Ever wondered for how long the values of π been written. For starters, it has always been 22/7 or 3.14. On Pi approximation day let us appreciate Emma Haraku who using @googlecloud calculated pi values up to 31.4 trillion digits. #PiDay
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1285847304017190913?s=20

Beginners guide on how to a suitable scientific article to review. This piece also provides an excellent approach to read and gain the maximum out of a paper. Read the abstract, again. #365DaysOfScience
More on @Stanford 👇
web.stanford.edu/~siegelr/readi…

With a great deal of enthusiasm, I attended a demo session of WES by @ProteinSimple. It was not digestible to not get to adjust the run/transfer times. But the ease of obtaining result is amusing. #365DaysOfScience
proteinsimple.com/wes.html

It is a great machine for WB lovers if it delivers what it promises. Quantitative and densitometric analysis of bands is very intuitive. Looking forward to collaborating and work with this. #365DaysOfScience
Meet WES here

On her birth centenary, let us acknowledge the contribution of the "Dark Lady of DNA", wonderful woman, pioneering chemist, & ace crystallographer, Rosalind Franklin. Your legacy will live on, forever. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday #RosalindFranklin
📷@nature

It is intriguing to know that she contributed SIGNIFICANTLY not only towards the structure of DNA rather was pivotal in the derivation of viruses' structure. All her collaborators/contemporary went on to win @NobelPrize, while her part have been underappreciated
#365DaysOfScience

As the inscription on her tombstone reads, “Her research and discoveries on viruses remain of lasting benefit to mankind.” #365DaysOfScience #RosalindFranklin
There is an article in @nature that goes:

“Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated. Science, for me, gives a partial explanation of life. In so far as it goes, it is based on fact, experience and experiment.” #RosalindFranklin, 1940.
#365DaysOfScience

I will reiterate my stand on posthumous award of @NobelPrize and none shall be more deserving than
👉Mahatma Gandhi for Peace
👉#RosalindFranklin for chemistry

#365DaysOfScience

Sunday Eureka with Prof GP Talwar on @rajyasabhatv. An incredible scientist who led to leprosy vaccine development. Researcher par excellence Prof Talwar was head of my dept since its conception & founder director @NImmunology
#365DaysOfScience

An insightful article published in @nature infers chloroquine does not block SARS-CoV-2 infection of the TMPRSS2-positive lung cell line. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4158…

Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine have been employed in >80 registered clinical trials as a prophylactic against COVID-19. The chloroquines elevate the endosomal pH thus inhibiting viruses that depend on low pH for cell entry. #365DaysOfScience

Chloroquine has shown to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spread in the kidney-derived Vero cell line. However, it fails to block SARS-CoV-2 infection of human lung cell line Calu-3. #365DaysOfScience

This has been so far great webinar feed on @YouTube by @vinodscaria on genomic analysis of #SARS_CoV_2 isolates from India, its molecular contact tracing, and a plethora of in silico tools to understand viral evolution and epidemiology. #365DaysOfScience

So glad to have many online tools developed by @IGIBSocial on computational analysis and genome browsing for the #SARS_CoV_2. #365DaysOfScience

Back to classics in today's #365DaysOfScience, I am reviewing Arthur Kornberg's commentary on the early history of DNA polymerase. Do read his journey towards the discovery of DNA Polymerase I from E. coli. @Stanford
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Interesting to know Arthur Kornberg and his son Roger were among only six father-son duos to win a @NobelPrize. Roger Kornberg was given the prize "for his studies of the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription." #365DaysOfScience

The @ENCODE_NIH has released its third phase of updates as annotation of cis-regulatory elements (CRE)- DNA sequences called promoters & enhancers that regulate the transcription of genes at close or distant genomic sites, respectively. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4158…

The @ENCODE_NIH was launched in 2003 after the completion of the Human Genome Project aiming to create a catalogue of functional elements and their roles in regulating gene expression. #ENCODE #365DaysOfScience

This is how it unfolded. #Thread 👇

The Pilot phase in 2007 looked for functional elements in human cell lines.
1. DNA transcribed into RNA
2. cis-regulatory elements
#ENCODE #365DaysOfScience

The second phase in 2012:
1. Extended search for the functional elements in the whole genome in more human cell lines
2. Similar efforts were carried out in mice genome in 2014.
#ENCODE #365DaysOfScience

In the third stage, the consortium took cells derived from humans and mice in spite of cell lines providing a more biologically relevant encyclopedia. They have 'analyzed DNA/RNA sequences, proteins bound to them, including histone proteins and PTMs. #ENCODE #365DaysOfScience

The updated encyclopedia has an online registry of candidate CREs, proteins that bind to them in different samples from various tissues. The searchable, filterable, & retrievable encyclopedia of DNA elements is freely accessible @ screen.encodeproject.org
#ENCODE #365DaysOfScience

This new class of drugs promotes ubiquitin tagging and degradation of extracellular & membrane-bound proteins for targeted destruction inside the cells by the cell’s proteasome machinery. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

The graphical summary of the mode of action of lysosome-targeting chimeras (LYTACs) for targeted destruction. The LYTACs are bifunctional: One end contains oligoglycopeptide recognizable to cell surface receptor and another end antibody for the desired protein. #365DaysOfScience

Interestingly LYTACs also mediated the targeted destruction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), expression of whose is elevated in many cancers. This will have long term therapeutic implications. #365DaysOfScience

Curious case of this man, who can not process numerals, at least not consciously. "he could still do mental arithmetic and perform other mathematical operations. Strangely, although the digits 2 - 9 were scrambled, 0 & 1 looked normal." #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/m…

Today we honor Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, the father of chemical science in India. He was instrumental in setting up modern-day BCPL, Indian School of Chemistry, & many others. Truly remarked as the man of the renaissance in Indian chemistry. Happy Birthday! #365DaysOfScience

To streamline the naming pattern, the currently chaotic system needs to be revamped. #365DaysOfScience
Should virus-naming rules change during a pandemic? The question divides virologists nature.com/articles/d4158…

CT value alone can give a false sense of viral expression which varies from person to person, kit & machine-wise, and lab protocols. However, it may be accompanied along with the CTRL & HK genes. Or stick with fold changes. #365DaysOfScience @ProfBhargava
newindianexpress.com/states/karnata…

@ProfBhargava The unique 'RNA velocity' method computes the cellular developmental trajectory over a period of time, not a one-time static snapshot. This can help estimate the reaction rates of RNA biology. ❤️how AI is empowering personalized medicine. #365DaysOfScience
phys.org/news/2020-08-a…

Today we celebrate the legacy of an outstanding physician and bacteriologist whose accidental discovery is credited to have saved millions of lives & counting. Sir Alexander Fleming discovered benzylpenicillin (penicillin G), 1/first antibiotics. Happy Birthday!
#365DaysOfScience

Discovery: Sir Alex Fleming left a culture plate of Staphylococcus aureus while gone for a vacation. Upon his return he noticed a mould growing in it. 'Funny' how he remarked noticing the bacteria surrounding the mould have been wiped out. #365DaysOfScience
📷from his publication

It was evident that the 'mould juice' or 'the inhibitor' had some property that inhibited bacterial growth. Renamed from mould juice to penicillin, it acts against gram-positive bacteria and some Gram -ve also. #365DaysOfScience
Here is the publication:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

Later isolated & purified by Howard Florey and Ernst Chain at @UniofOxford, penicillin would go on to life-saving antibiotics during WW2. The trio won the @NobelPrize in 1945 "for the discovery of penicillin & its curative effect in various infectious diseases." #365DaysOfScience

Earlier named Penicillium notatum, the fungus was finally resolved to be P. rubens using whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis in 2011. #365DaysOfScience
Ref: imafungus.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.55…

“When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn’t plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world’s first antibiotic, or bacteria killer. But I suppose that was exactly what I did.” quoted Sir Alexander Fleming. #365DaysOfScience

Today is the birthday of one of the living legend of science, plant geneticist of rare distinction, Father of Indian green revolution, Prof @msswaminathan who turns 95 today. Thank you, sir, for elevating a significant portion of the country out of hunger. #365DaysOfScience

"@msswaminathan is a living legend. His contributions to Agricultural Science have made an indelible mark on food production in India and elsewhere in the developing world. By any standards, he will go into the annals of history as a world scientist of rare distinction"

This was quoted by then Secretary-General of the @UN Javier Perez de Cuellar on the occasion of the presentation of the First @WorldFoodPrize. Accept our gratitude and thankful, sir. Happy Birthday! @msswaminathan #365DaysOfScience

“If you were going to put your money down, you would bet that you get the answer with the monoclonal before you get the answer with a vaccine,” says Dr. Fauci @NIAIDNews
mAb is the answer now. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/d…

Beginners guide on how CRISPR-edited cell therapy may be the next big thing in cancer research, particularly for solid tumors. #365DaysOfScience
How CRISPR Is Changing Cancer Research and Treatment cancer.gov/news-events/ca…

To understand one's ancestors' geographic origins, plus risk for some heritable conditions genetic ancestry testing is a useful tool. #365DaysOfScience
Genetic Ancestry Testing: What Is It and Why Is It Important? ja.ma/3aalJik via @JAMA_current part of @JAMANetwork

NOW ENROLLING. mAbs against SARS-CoV-2 for placebo-controlled, double-blind RCTs.
Clinical Trials of Monoclonal Antibodies to Prevent COVID-19 Now Enrolling | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases #365DaysOfScience
niaid.nih.gov/news-events/cl…

Tributes to Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the Father of the Indian space program on his 101st birth anniversary. An absolute brilliant mind, he was instrumental in the setup of @PRLAhmedabad. Convinced charitable trusts under his family/friends to fund it. Happy Birthday! #365DaysOfScience

An institution creator & cultivator, as he was, helped to establish other prominent institutions across the country, not limited to @IIMAhmedabad, @vascsc, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, & most importantly @isro fuelling Indian space program. #365DaysOfScience

It will be interesting to know the leader in Dr Sarabhai in the words of over beloved Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Give it a watch here. #365DaysOfScience

Imagine all the sequencing studies and how it impacted the course of biomedical research. All credit goes to one brilliant scientist with a rare distinction of having two @NobelPrize in Chemistry. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday! Frederick Sanger, father of genomics.

Dr Sanger was the first person to determine the amino acids sequence of α and β chains of Insulin. @NobelPrize in 1958. Next seminal discovery was made on the DNA sequencing technique. Another @NobelPrize in 1980.
#365DaysOfScience
GENIUS. ABSOLUTE GENIUS.

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1212796331481157638?s=20

Excellent commentary on the Human Genome Project and how it changed everything. May this digital revolution continue till the end to end telomeric sequence is achieved for all the chromosomes, and beyond.
Good read here 👇 #365DaysOfScience
rdcu.be/b6gkA

#IndependenceDay greetings to fellow Indians. Let's honour the scientific legends of the country. This is a wonderful initiative from @DBTIndia to popularise Indian scientists on this platform (needs more inclusions though). @himdaughter #365DaysOfScience
nobelprizeseries.in/tbis/

This is a simple illustration of hormone positivity in case of Breast Cancer patients with cartoons on ER/PR pathways and how it is treated. @CR_UK
#365DaysOfScience
Solving a breast cancer mystery – why do ‘double-positive’ women do better? scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/07/08/sol…

The last line pretty much summarises the article.
"Countless lives are at stake—no compromises on the vaccine."
#365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/early/…

I read this article on TET2 mutation and how it affects proliferation and drug sensitivity published in @CellSystemsCP. TET protein is one the most critical Epigenetic regulator which demethylate the 5mC back to Cytosine. #365DaysOfScience
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

The authors report the mutation in TET2 in AML cells alters the transition dynamics between stem-like and differentiated cell states. Also, the detection of TET2 mutants in patients in remission is strongly associated with a higher chance of relapse. #365DaysOfScience

This is a great article on viral immunotherapy and prospects for the vaccine for the #SARSCoV2. Enjoy reading it in a flow on @nature here 👇
#365DaysOfScience nature.com/articles/d4158…

In today's #365DaysOfScience, I read this excellent paper from Dr @tapasya_s's lab. Her team have investigated the role of Allicin, present in ginger in Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They have checked viability, migration, cell cycle & ROS generation
cellphysiolbiochem.com/Articles/00025…

The final verdict: Allicin significantly inhibits growth, proliferation & migration in NSCLC cell lines in both normoxia and hypoxia. This study imparts an experimental validation to garlic being used traditionally for treating respiratory problems. #365DaysOfScience

This graph is pretty much clearing the notion on "The antibiotic paradox: why companies can’t afford to create life-saving drugs" #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Excellent briefing on ChIP seq analysis on @embl portal here. EMBL bioinformatics courses are great learning source. Wish they'll upload more of it. #365DaysOfScience medias01-web.embl.de/Mediasite/Play…

This article deals with the cellular phases involved in the disease progression from binding of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 receptor to disruption of the epithelial-endothelial barrier, and multi-organ involvement in the disease.
#365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/369/65…

Authors review the Warburg effect and its relevance in cancer biology. "Tumors that suppress pyruvate oxidation & produce lactate can rewire their mitochondrial metabolism to synthesize oncometabolite & essential TCA-cycle intermediates". #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4225…

The classical case that some people may not evoke lifelong immunity against the virus. Also, persons with less neutralizing antibodies will be more susceptible to reinfection from #SARSCoV2. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/s…

I found this simple yet informative article on the establishment of primary cell culture. The disaggregation, separation, and establishment of the primary cell line are explained with pathways. #365DaysOfScience
biologydiscussion.com/cell/primary-c…

@NIHDirector's blog highlighting the importance of masks and how it saves lives. It is scientifically demonstrated that wearing masks in public eases the #SARSCoV2 spread. #365DaysOfScience @NIH

Please wear a mask. That is the message. Thank you!

directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/08/25/mas…

One of the fascinating studies on HIV retrobiology is a subset of individuals with undetectable HIV viral load in the blood even after years of viral integration into their genome. This article focusses on the work & the mechanism behind. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/h…

One important finding of this paper reveals that "compared with people who have to take ARVs, elite controllers have far more proviruses in chromosome regions where little gene activity occurs." It is pertinent to translate this mechanism in persons with HIV. #365DaysOfScience

Keratin filaments that form nails and hairs also provide a memory of cell polarity in early mouse development. "other proteins that polymerize or form aggregates have also been found to provide a physical memory of cell divisions".
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Interesting video from @UCBerkeley. CRISPaper: The art and science of communicating CRISPR. Amazing how artists use CRISPR edited plants into art. #365DaysOfScience

Applying the bottom-up approach, Dr Deans designs synthetic gene circuits that can be assembled and integrated to program cells with an altered function. Her team has prompted blood-forming stem cells to mass-produce platelets. #365DaysOfScience
jbioleng.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11…

Her team "started out producing blood platelets that could safely carry functional replacement enzymes in people with certain rare metabolic disorders." #365DaysOfScience

This article is a piece of consolidated advice for the #ECR on science communication and the career advances over @Twitter. Authored by @DrVeronikaCH @Felienne @CaAl @nbielczyk_neuro @ionicasmeets
#365DaysOfScience
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

@Twitter @DrVeronikaCH @Felienne @CaAl @nbielczyk_neuro @ionicasmeets In my MSc, I was blessed to be tutored & mentored by one of the renowned biochemist & educator, Prof K Muralidhar. His classes used to be eloquent with lectures delivered like stories. Pleased to find some of his pieces online.
#365DaysOfScience
Sharing👉 sciwri.club/archives/autho…

This article is on the discovery of Patch-clamp technique: one of the most important tools in neuroscience for studying electrical signals. Also used to examine cell activities and to study sensory stimuli and movements in the brain. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

"Patch-clamp recording is arguably still the most direct and effective way of studying electrical signals in the brain." #365DaysOfScience

Original article by Neher and Sakmann for which they were awarded @NobelPrize in 1991 is accessible here.
nature.com/articles/26079…

Today we celebrate a remarkable researcher of our time who showed for the first time pluripotency can be induced in differentiated cells. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday! Prof Shinya Yamanaka, a hero of stem cell research.
📷 @GladstoneInst

Why this discovery important?
The old school of thought suggested that dedifferentiation of mature cells back to pluripotency is not possible. The cellular differentiation was thought to be a unidirectional event.
#365DaysOfScience

Prof John Gurdon at @UniofOxford made a discovery that caught the attention of the scientific community. Using somatic cell nuclear transfer he generated mature tadpole from intestinal epithelial nucleus transferred to enucleated cells. #365DaysOfScience

Prof Yamanaka confirmed that somatic cells can be reprogrammed into an embryonic-like pluripotent state by delivering certain transcription factors (now known as "Yamanaka Factors"). The EUREKA MOMENT!!
#365DaysOfScience

These reprogrammed cells are now known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. "The iPSC, have the potential to develop into every cell type in the body and are invaluable tools for disease modeling, drug screening, and cell therapy."

#365DaysOfScience

Both Gurdon and Yamanaka were awarded @NobelPrize in 2012.
There is this great article on iPS cells and how it changed the world. Give it a read here
nature.com/news/how-ips-c…

#365DaysOfScience

"We have islands of excellence, but there is a sea of mediocrity" Prof K Muralidhar at his best.

On #TeachersDay, this video is a tribute to one of the best teachers, I had. Thank you, sir, for igniting the spark of science in me.

#365DaysOfScience

Interesting finding that honeybee venom induce cell death in the triple-negative and HER2-enriched breast cancer molecular types. Also, melittin; honeybee venom component, aids in chemotherapeutic suppression of breast tumor growth.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4169…

Back to classics in today's #365DaysOfScience.
Published in @TheLancet in March 1889, this article by Stephen Paget established the 'soil and seed' hypothesis of cancer metastasis.

sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

This theory proposes that the metastatic tumor cells (seeds) have the potential to migrate to practically every part of the body but grows in some preferential organs (soil) which depends on the complex interaction between the tumor & 2° organ microenvironment. #365DaysOfScience

This is a fitting tribute to the lady of in vitro research, Henrietta Lacks, on her birth centenary. "The past cannot be undone, but we must acknowledge the wrongs of previous generations, and those wrongs that persist today." #365DaysOfScience #HeLa100
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Authors in this study analyse the tissue architecture in benign & aggressive tumours to understand whether the changes are merely a by-product of destructive diseases such as cancer, or whether they actively influence disease progression. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

There is this great course on Ab training from @abcam which includes Ab basics, way to choose right Ab, storage & handling, testing, controlling, and optimizing plus relevant troubleshooting for Western Blotting, IHC/Flow cytometry. #365DaysOfScience
go.myabcam.com/antibody-basic…

People with obesity are more prone to COVID19 irrespective of their ages. The prospects of hospitalization increase greatly with BMI, particularly for the people with stage 2 obesity. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/w…

Here is a comprehensive guide on the basics of FCM and Identification of cell populations with flow cytometry by Sara Milovic on @Medium #365DaysOfScience
link.medium.com/1JcvaaGVG9

The cancer cells share a stretch of similarity with the wound healing in the classic and emerging hallmarks of cancer. The authors highlight the parallels between tissue repair and cancer at the cellular and molecular levels. @aaas #365DaysOfScience
stke.sciencemag.org/content/13/648…

#हिंदीदिवस2020 की शुभकामनायें.

आज के #365DaysOfScience में मैं @DDNewslive के कार्यक्रम टोटल हेल्थ में स्तन कैंसर के बारे में जानकारी साझा कर रहा हूँ. यह विषय मेरे काफी करीब है और आम आदमी की जागरूकता हेतु ऐसे विषयों पर चर्चा काफी आवश्यक है.

इस उम्दा कार्यक्रम में मेरे सह-पर्यवेक्षक एम्स सर्जरी विभाग के प्रोफेसर एवं विभागाध्यक्ष प्रो. अनुराग श्रीवास्तव जो दशकों से स्तन कैंसर की सर्जरी/उपचार कर रहे हैं; विशेषज्ञ के तौर पर जानकारी साझा कर रहे हैं. इस उत्तम प्रस्तुति के लिए @DDNewslive की टीम को बधाई. #365DaysOfScience

What an inspirational journey Prof Yamanaka has.
“Now I can see any failure as a chance. That result will teach you something else, something new.”
#365DaysOfScience
nobelprize.org/i-can-see-any-…

Excellent move by @AACR to communicate about disparities in healthcare research against racial and ethnic minorities. Thanks for standing in solidarity against racial discrimination and inequality at the workplace in biomedical research. #365DaysOfScience
aacr.org/professionals/…

@NIHDirector's blog on altered Lung function post #COVID__19 infection in today's #365DaysOfScience
Months After Recovery, COVID-19 Survivors Often Have Persistent Lung Trouble directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/09/15/mon…

Monoclonal antibodies for the rescue. #365DaysOfScience
Eli Lilly reports promising first results for an antibody against COVID-19 sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/e…

Inside into the the life and time of Dr Anthony Fauci; a hero of antiviral research and a household name in #coronavirus management. #365DaysOfScience @NIAIDNews

A localized brain rhythm underlines the altered state of consciousness, an experience involving a feeling of disconnection from the surrounding world. New explanations of the inner workings of the human brain through this piece of work.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

The changing notion from “Publish or Perish” to #VisibleOrVanish. Wonderful commentary by @Animate_Science on the impact of video/graphical abstracts to cancel out the noise amounting from the volume of papers published every single day. #365DaysOfScience
animateyour.science/post/forget-pu…

With #COVID19 imposed global lockdown major conferences and symposia are going virtual. Here are some handy tips from @embl how to expedite the speed networking at the next virtual conference. #365DaysOfScience
blogs.embl.org/events/2020/07…

An honest welcome message to new PhD students from the principal investigator. Never related to anything in grad school than this. A big shoutout to @NewsfromScience for authoring this candid piece from the supervisors to PhD students. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/careers/2020/0…

#SARSCoV2 having the potential to provoke cardiac damages directly and indirectly via ACE2-spike protein interaction and systematic inflammatory response induction respectively. #365DaysOfScience
science.sciencemag.org/content/early/…

Today we honour the legacy of one true geneticist who made incredible advances in the genetics & inheritance. His immensely noted contributed comes from his 'fly lab' at @Columbia where he began studying Drosophila melanogaster.#365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday Thomas Hunt Morgan.

His choice of elegant experimentation with the Drosophila establishes him as the father of experimental genetics. The validation of the chromosomal theory of inheritance, linkage & crossing over, and establishment of chromosomal maps ascertain Morgan's legacy.
#365DaysOfScience

Awarded with the @NobelPrize in 1933 for his discovery of the white-eyed mutation in the fruit fly, Drosophila, Professor Morgan was gifted with excellent students at @Columbia who worked on their benches all their careers.
#365DaysOfScience

It must have been an exciting time at @Caltech to have George Beadle to carry forward Morgan's heritage. Important researchers and @NobelPrize laureates including Dulbecco (DMEM); his grad student Temin (reverse transcriptase), et al plus the legend @ProfFeynman
#365DaysOfScience

@Caltech @NobelPrize @ProfFeynman @CaltechArchives The study from @NIH et al reports the molecular explanation behind the severity of #COVID19. ~10% have autoantibodies against the IFN1, while some have a mutation in immune system genes.
#365DaysOfScience
niaid.nih.gov/news-events/sc…

So glad that Indian #FrugalScience is going places. Taking inspiration from his grandparents and a colleague, the inventor has made 1$ hearing aid and provided the blueprint for the same. Kudos! @BhamlaLab #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/1…

https://twitter.com/BhamlaLab/status/1308835173576978434?s=20

A great read in today's #365DaysOfScience is this @ScienceMagazine paper where authors using deep mutagenesis engineer soluble angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein that binds to the spike (S) protein of #SARSCoV2.

science.sciencemag.org/content/369/65…

I found this protocol for Bio-layer interferometry on @JoVEJournal. This is a great technique to understand biomolecular mutual interactions. #365DaysOfScience
jove.com/t/51383/bio-la…

Great work by Martin, on the probes to fish out the DNA of the Neanderthals. This establishes the Neanderthal Y chromosome has more similarity with modern humans. The homo sapiens Y chromosome is ultimately favoured by natural selection.
#365DaysOfScience

sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/h…

On #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth day one, I am sharing some of the impacts of #breastcancer. It is the most prevalent type of cancer in most part of the world and certainly necessitates sustainable management. #365DaysOfScience
📷: @IARCWHO

There is a distinct pattern in incidence and mortality profile of #breastcancer. Developing countries tend to have less incidence rate but high mortality due to this. India ranks third in the number of cases and second to China in mortality. #365DaysOfScience

Somewhere in the world:
🎗️A case of breast cancer is diagnosed every 15 seconds
🎗️A woman dies from breast cancer every 50 seconds

In India:
🎗️A new case of Breast Cancer is registered every 3 minutes
🎗️It costs a woman’s life every 6 minutes

#365DaysOfScience

@ICMRDELHI infers population-wide mammography not feasible for Indian socio-cultural background. So, Breast self-examination for elderly women should be done on a regular basis.

#365DaysOfScience

cancer.org/cancer/breast-…

We need to be more vocal about the #BreastCancerAwareness and its impact on the developing societies. Let there be light.

#365DaysOfScience

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः।

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1308837330288082945?s=20

Today we celebrate a man who gave wings to generations of scientists working on cellular reprogramming and cloning.
Happy Birthday, Sir John Bertrand Gurdon!
Thanks for pioneering somatic cell nuclear transfer tech.
#365DaysOfScience
📷: @NobelPrize

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1301588784119607296?s=20

"Drs. John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka made discoveries that have changed how we think about cellular plasticity and how we study, and potentially treat, human disease." Conversation between two heroes: A pleasant read in today's #365DaysOfScience cell.com/stem-cell-repo…

How absurd this may appear, but oral-faecal transplantation (3.5-7 mg of mother's faecal matter into 5 ml of breast milk) to newborns helps in postnatal restoration of the normal gut microenvironment in babies born of cesarean section.

#365DaysOfScience

cell.com/cell/fulltext/…

Congratulations to the trio.
Dr Alter: Showed a bloodborne virus could transmit the disease.
Dr Houghton: Identified the Virus from infected chimpanzees & named HCV.
Dr Rice: Sequenced the genome & demonstrated its role in liver disease.

#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1313049505802194945?s=20

Graphical representation of their contribution in #HCV Virology at the @NobelPrize website. @profvrr
#365DaysOfScience #NobelPrize2020

Tributes to Meghnad Saha on his Jayanti. He is better known for his 'Thermal Ionisation Equation' also termed as 'Saha Equation'. An astrophysicist par excellence, Prof Saha was also an institution builder with a vision of scientific economic planning for India. #365DaysOfScience

Physics Department at @UoA_Official, NASI, Indian Physical Society at @iacskolkata, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Uni of Calcutta. My pranams to the quantum Indian, Professor Saha. #365DaysOfScience

Congratulations to the duo for the discovery of molecular 'scissors' #CRISPR.
Dr. Charpentier at @maxplanckpress and Dr. Doudna at @UCBerkeley showed that using CRISPR-Cas9 precise edits could be administered in target specific genes.

#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1313778075356798976?s=20

Link to original paper in @ScienceMagazine on which @NobelPrize was announced.
science.sciencemag.org/content/337/60…

A surprise omission from the list is the Feng Zhang at the @broadinstitute who after 6 months of its discovery validated the #CRISPR in mammalian cells.
#365DaysOfScience

Connecting the dots. It took decades to reach from DNA structure to #CRISPR.
#365DaysOfScience
📷: @sketchscience

Today is the day to honour the stalwart and absolute genius of Indian Science GN Ramachandran who is widely regarded for his seminal discovery of Ramachandran plot.

Happy Birthday! Prof GNR. We draw inspiration from you.

#365DaysOfScience
📷: @NatureSMB

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1296090517348872192?s=20

Before the Ramachandran plot, he also contributed towards deciphering the structure of triple helix of Collagen. This crucial discovery put him ahead of his contemporaries including Pauling & Crick. It was cited by Prof Venki Ramakrishnan.#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1220668679290884096?s=20

Masks have been the ubiquitous symbol of resistance against the ongoing pandemic. It reduces the viral dose a wearer might receive, resulting in infections to milder or even asymptomatic persons.
Wear your mask, keep the distance.

#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

The sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) helps the knockout mice sense glucose, while in regular mice, it likely boosts the sweet flavour detected by the sweet tastes receptors; T1R. The salt enhances the reception.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/w…

The CRISPR based test detects the pandemic coronavirus in just 5 minutes using fluorescent probes. Using a second guide RNA, they can detect as few as 100 viruses per microliter.
Findings from @doudna_lab et al in @medrxivpreprint.
#365DaysOfScience
medrxiv.org/content/10.110…

In today's #365DaysOfScience I read the classic paper by Stanley Prusiner in 1982 where he described the 'Prions', from Scrapie Agent that are small proteinaceous infectious particles, which are resistant to inactivation by nucleases. Size: 60-150 kDa.
science.sciencemag.org/content/216/45…

This study holds importance in the generation of potential ‘universal’ flu vaccines. Both naive and memory B cells enter vaccine-induced germinal-centre structures; affinity maturation suggesting their relevance in the memory response. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

This man made a breakthrough: sequenced the genome of an organism, a bacteria. The iconic human genome project was accelerated & later completed due to robustness of the same man. His shotgun sequencing approach was applied to the HGP. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday @JCVenter !

Birthday tributes to arguably greatest Indian of this generation, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. His work and life spanning decades in public and professional life will continue to inspire us. Happy Birthday People's president and Messileman of India, Kalam Sahab! #365DaysOfScience

In today's #365DaysOfScience I read this paper from @SciReports on paclitaxel resistance in metastatic breast cancer. Penfuridol significantly reduces therapy resistance in cell line models and showed synergistic suppression in addition to paclitaxel.
nature.com/articles/s4159…

Acquired resistance to the current therapies remains the greater challenge in cancer treatment. Her2 overamplification is suggested to induce chemotherapeutic resistance in Her2+ve cases. #365DaysOfScience

They study the interplay between Pacli resistance β-catenin signaling by making resistant cells. #365DaysOfScience

Authors report upregulation of HER2 in MCF-7 and 4T1 cell lines upon gradual exposure of these cells to paclitaxel over time. They also found elevated paclitaxel sensitivity of Pacli in resistant cells after HER2 knockdown. #365DaysOfScience

Authors submit establishing "that HER2/β-catenin mediates paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer and that suppression of HER2 and β-catenin signaling could overcome paclitaxel resistance." #365DaysOfScience

Interesting take on usage and reportage of laboratory animals in scientific studies. Considering the publication bias how many journals to publish negative results and at what frequency? #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/m…

This is indees a wonderful study. Feeling their physical environment through their plasma membrane, cells harbor mechanosensitive ion channels to sense the space and pressure. #365DaysOfScience science.sciencemag.org/content/370/65…

Birthday tributes to an unparalleled genius astrophysicist Dr S Chandrasekhar who was awarded the 1983 @NobelPrize for his studies related to the stars". He is immortalised in the "Chandrasekhar limit" that is the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf star. #365DaysOfScience

@NobelPrize This @YouTube video is a comprehensive summary of HER2 testing and focused update on HER2 testing in accordance with the latest @ASCO @Pathologists guidelines. Excellent review. #365DaysOfScience

What an inspiring journey this has been. The statement from George Kuo is so humbling. "When asked how he felt when the Nobel was announced, Choo begins to cry. “I am happy.” “It’s my baby; I’m so very proud." “How can I not be proud?” #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Amidst the CRISPR controversy over the patenting battles, one researcher from @broadinstitute provided proof of Cas9 nucleases can induce accurate cleavage at endogenous loci in mammalian (mouse & human) cells.
Happy Birthday! @zhangf

#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1313806864233066496?s=20

DNA mismatch induces changes in the conformational ensemble. So does the binding of proteins to DNA. Authors report 10% of mismatches bend DNA into conformations similar to the protein-bound DNA, making it easier for proteins to bind. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Today is the birthday of the greatest of them all. The man who pioneered microbiology, plant anatomy, & animal reproduction. The same man made uncountable discoveries including blood cells, nematodes, and sperm.

#365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday! Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

He is also credited with the discovery of numerous microscopes of varied magnifications in his lifetime. Using these, he observed numerous microorganisms, 'animalcules' being the early unicellular organisms.
#365DaysOfScience

Tributes to the legend on an inverted microscope.

Blog on mental health on @PLOS. In addition to COVID-19 induced mental health issues resulting from abrupt desolation of normal routine, this article addresses mental health problems in refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers.
#365DaysOfScience
speakingofmedicine.plos.org/2020/10/09/men…

This is a wonderful article on keeping a lab notebook. While some may be too orthodox in keeping paper based notebook, the digitally generated data requires a different approach; or a combination of both: digital and hardbound. #365DaysOfScience sciencemag.org/careers/2019/0…

This study supported by @NIAIDFunding reports that a five-day antibiotic treatment is superior to standard treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children below 5 years. Results from double-blind placebo-controlled RCT.
#365DaysOfScience
niaid.nih.gov/news-events/sh…

In today's #365DaysOfScience I review this article where authors propose methods for sample size calculation for RNA seq experiments. Published in @BMCBioinfo this paper is very resourceful and robust in comparison to prev models.

To nullify the associated cost and unreliable statistical inference from insufficient sample size the pertinent questions in designing an RNA-seq experiment is about the number of biological replicates required to achieve the desired power? The sample size? #365DaysOfScience

They propose this to be a quick & reliable approach for sample size calculation requiring one-time simulation. It requires two-sample comparison with the t-test, since differentially expressed genes detection between two groups is the common case in RNA-seq.
#365DaysOfScience

Chimps being socially similar to humans, serve as an excellent test group for studying socio-behavioural changes. Interesting reports coming that older males (aged >35) had more mutual friendships than younger ones & are less aggressive. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/h…

Heartfelt tributes to remarkable nuclear physicist Dr Homi J Bhabha, father of the Indian nuclear program, born OTD in 1909. A visionary leader, he helped to establish the @TIFRScience and BARC which are the centre of excellence for basic and atomic research. #365DaysOfScience

Dr Bhabha, a bright young fellow worked under the supervision of Paul Dirac at @DeptofPhysics, Cambridge. He also collaborated with Neils Bohr and published work on Electron-positron scattering which was later named Bhabha scattering in his honour.
#365DaysOfScience

Dr Bhabha was the organizing head of the first UN Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in 1955. Presiding over this session in Geneva he advocated for the peaceful uses of Atomic energy. He was 'killed' on January 24, 1955, in a plane crash. #365DaysOfScience

It's gladdening to read this. HeLa has changed the course of biomedical research. The monetary reparation to her family is one step ahead in reassuring her legacy. #365DaysOfScience nature.com/articles/d4158…

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1303286486008291329?s=19

This beetle is so strong that can endure a crumpling force that is comparable to 39000 times of its body weight. The strength is derived from its outer wing cover supported by the bulbous shape of five interlocking lobes. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/e…

The Cryo-EM has been sharpened in its resolution at the atomic level (1.25 Å-resolution of apoferritin). With that precision, individual atoms in a variety of proteins can be pinpointed at a resolution level of x-ray crystallography. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/s4158…

There is always so much to learn from @VirusesImmunity. From a child growing up in Japan, she has risen to world fame in the immunology and virology. Her multidimensional work and now in COVID-19 is infectious. #365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/e…

@VirusesImmunity One of the finest botanist India has produced & first women scientist who is a recipient of Padma Shri was born this day in 1897. She is the reason our sugar tastes sweeter by setting up sugarcane breeding station in the country.
#365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday! Dr Janaki Ammal.

At times when literacy rate in women was less than 1%, Dr Ammal chose to be graduated with Botany honors. She further secured the prestigious Barbour Scholarship to obtain masters and DSc from @UMich. After a stay of ~8 years, she left to the UK for the postdoc.
#365DaysOfScience

Only to be invited by then Prime Minister of India Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, she assumed the charges of OSD to reorganize the @bsi_moefcc in 1951. She continued her work on plant breeding and cytogenetics. Her legacy is immortalized in this Magnolia flower.
#365DaysOfScience

I read this systematic analysis for the cancer burden on global and Socio-demographic levels between 1990-2017 from @JAMAOnc in today's #365DaysOfScience. Authors aim to describe the cancer burden for 29 cancers groups in 195 countries for the past 27 yrs.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamao…

It results in the Global Burden of Disease study describing cancer incidence/mortality, years of life lost, years lived with disability, & disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), which can lead to control by policy, resource allocation, & health system planning.
#365DaysOfScience

Results:

-In 2017, there were 24.5 million incident cancer cases worldwide and 9.6 million deaths

-The odds of developing cancer during a lifetime (ages 0-79 years) were 1 in 7 at the lowest SDI quintile to 1 in 2 at the highest SDI quintile for both sexes

#365DaysOfScience

In Men ♂️:
Skin; tracheal, bronchus, and lung (TBL); and prostate cancers were the most common incident cancers, accounting for 54% of all cancer cases. The most common causes of cancer deaths and DALYs were TBL, liver, and stomach cancers.

#365DaysOfScience

In Women ♀️:
The most common incident cancers were nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), breast cancer, and colorectal cancer, accounting for 54% of all incident cases. The leading causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for women were breast, TBL, and colorectal cancers.

#365DaysOfScience

The data is more worrisome for India where the annual percentage change in incidence and mortality are topping the world. Hoping the authorities are ensuring the pertinent efforts in cancer prevention & access to cancer care. @ICMRDELHI @ncdirindia @MoHFW_INDIA

#365DaysOfScience

@ICMRDELHI @ncdirindia @MoHFW_INDIA Researchers have "identified nearly 10,000 DNA markers that appear to fully explain the influence of common genetic variants over height." This study provides better prospects for tracking down the genes that are scattered in the genome.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/l…

One of the G.O.A.T.🐐scientists Dr Marie Curie was born today in 1867. With a rare distinction of having awarded @NobelPrize in both Physics and Chemistry.
Happy Birthday! Dr Curie. Your brilliance and an unmatched commitment to science will inspire generations. #365DaysOfScience

With her husband Pierre, Dr Curie isolated Polonium, named after her country of Birth. She also discovered & developed methods for the separation of radium from radioactive residues. The radioactive compounds are used to treat tumors in modern healthcare system. #365DaysOfScience

Also born this day was the torchbearer of Indian science who with impeccable confidence predicted a @NobelPrize for himself. An institution in himself, Dr Raman virtually touched the lives of almost all greatest Indian scientists of his era. #365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday!!

This will always be a highlight of his career when he couldn't control his emotions at the world's greatest podium. May your memory continue to inspire us, sir. Heartfelt tributes.💐💐 @IAScBng. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1249988600017473537?s=20

There is a great thread on Prof Raman by @ParveenKaswan presenting the legacy of Dr Raman. Have a look. #365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/ParveenKaswan/status/1324914120336965633?s=19

The gut microbiota & how it is correlated with human health is tackled by the authors in this paper. For this study, authors have compared individuals matched for potential confounders that can affect the microbiota based on age/sex/BMI. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Great article for researchers to communicate their work in a compelling way to reach a wider audience. The 12 awesome editorial points from @_klburke from @AmSciMag highlight an intuitive flow of science communication.
#365DaysOfScience
shar.es/ao1NJX

To study the probable “spill-over” of SARS-CoV-2 passing zoonotically, it is critical to understand the chain of events and prevent this from happening again in future. It will require scientific rigour, transparency, and cooperation. #365DaysOfScience
pnas.org/content/early/…

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is one classical pathway that offers tumors advantageous features for their survival & propagation. Since, targeting EMT is pharmacologically challenging, authors describe metabolic inhibitory drugs.
#365DaysOfScience
cell.com/trends/cancer/…

They present a tabulated list of drugs that are metabolism-centred targeting in EMT-driven aggressive cancers. The idea behind the metabolic inhibitory drugs is that Inhibition of metabolic pathways can interfere with the EMT program. #365DaysOfScience
📷: @trendscancer

In a country as vast & diverse as India, one man took the pain of systematic cataloguing and surveying the birds. He also wrote several books to familiarise folks about them and undoubtedly greatest bird-watcher.
#365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday Salim Ali, the 'Birdman of India'.

In childhood, a sparrow was shot by him with an air gun. This was a transforming experience that paved his path to appreciate the diversity of birds and most renowned advocate of the natural habitat for the birds.
#365DaysOfScience

Ironically he was denied ornithologist position at @ZoologicalI and later went on to become the greatest ornithologist and naturalist the country has produced. The lean body of Salim Ali almost always harboured scopes when in solace. #365DaysOfScience

A philanthropist at heart, Dr Ali was awarded ₹ 0.5 million which he donated to the @BNHSIndia. Later he was honoured with Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibushan in 1958/1976. His life advent with the birds can be read in his autobiography 'The fall of a sparrow'.
#365DaysOfScience

Very sensible blog from @NIHDirector on planning the holidays amidst the #COVID pandemic. Barring cultural variations, some prerequisites remain constant across the globe.
-Wear a mask
-Stay distant
-Wash the hands

#365DaysOfScience
directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/11/12/pla…

"Like CRISPR, retrons are part of the bacterial immune arsenal, protecting the microbes." Retrons are bacterial complexes of DNA, RNA, & a protein, that have been turned into gene editors, with original function to ward off bacteriophage.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/m…

GPCRs are the most ubiquitous cell-surface receptor proteins in humans with 475 targeted drugs approved by the @US_FDA. Authors have catalogued the structural isoforms & expression of GPCR in humans. That's important while drug designing. #365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Another @US_FDA approval for locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic TNBC. Pembrolizumab gets accelerated approval in combination with chemotherapy. It is a humanized Ab targeting PD-1 hence immune attack.
#365DaysOfScience

fda.gov/drugs/drug-app…

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1261244897274654721?s=20

These drugs will have greater impact in countries with highest incidence of TNBC. This analysis from @IITGuwahati reveals that India has highest reported percentage (27.9%) of TNBC (Global 15%) particularly in younger premenopausal women. #365DaysOfScience
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

One of the high school classic Meselson–Stahl experiment that established the semiconservative DNA replication hypothesised by Watson and Crick's. I read this elegant work published in May 1958 @PNASNews in today's #365DaysOfScience.
pnas.org/content/44/7/6…

They ultracentrifuged DNA in density gradient centrifugation in a concentrated solution of cesium chloride. The differentially densed DNA species form a band in CsCl solution equivalent to their buoyant density. #365DaysOfScience

📷:@PNASNews

The differential labelling of DNA with nitrogen-15 and nitrogen-14 was used to resolve parental and daughter DNA molecules by equilibrium sedimentation in a CsCl density gradient. #365DaysOfScience

📷:@PNASNews

The bacteria (E coli) were grown for generations (n14) in 15NH4Cl medium so that the DNA would be essentially fully labeled with the heavy isotope 15N. An abrupt change to N14 medium was then accomplished by adding to the growing culture a 10X excess of N14H4Cl.
#365DaysOfScience

The samples were taken from the growing bacterial culture at various time points to analyze the distribution of DNA densities in a CsCl gradient. Initially, there was a single band of 15N heavy DNA which was subsequently disappeared with 'hybrid' DNA formation. #365DaysOfScience

From the results they concluded:
1. The nitrogen of a DNA molecule is divided equally between two subunits
2. Following replication, each daughter molecule has received one parental subunit
3. The replicative act results in a molecular doubling

#365DaysOfScience

In an attempt to determine the chemical make-up of human blood and the factors that affect it, authors gathered information about factors, such as diet and gut microbes. These two are key predictors of blood’s molecular composition.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

With the mRNA vaccines coming up from @pfizer and @moderna_tx this article on @Cambridge_Uni summarises the RNA based vaccines. The benefits outnumber the challenges of it. Promising early-stage results ensure this can be used in #COVID19
#365DaysOfScience
phgfoundation.org/briefing/rna-v…

@pfizer @moderna_tx @Cambridge_Uni The miniature 'human organs' are great tools for disease pathology. These lung organoids can be mirrored to study early-stage #SARSCoV2 infection. It also serves an excellent model for prophylactic effectiveness of IFNs against SARSCoV2.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Authors of this paper introduce VIRIM (virus infection real-time imaging) that allows realtime monitoring of viral infection with great precision. This technique involves SunTag (fluorescent tag) introduced in viral RNA for visualisation.
#365DaysOfScience cell.com/cell/fulltext/…

Systematically study on “exceptional responders” reveal 'genomic changes to the tumors or immune clues that may explain why a drug that didn’t work for most people shrank the responders’ tumors for months or years.'
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/s…

The engineered Ab induce greater maturation of antigen-presenting cells and hence greater in vivo response by immune cells particularly CD8+ cells. This enhances antigen-presenting capability of APCs, thus Ab-mediated antiviral defences.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

The alarming threat of antimicrobial resistance. "If left unchecked, drug-resistant diseases could kill more people than cancer." This requires a global consensus among scientists & policymakers to curb the overuse of antimicrobial drugs.
#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

"Detecting antibodies against the virus in breastmilk indicates that mothers could be passing viral immunity to their babies." The secreted IgA from milk samples shows significant binding to the spike protein of #SARSCoV2.
#365DaysOfScience
the-scientist.com/news-opinion/b…

What an amazing Letter of Recommendation for an equally amazing hero of Physics @ProfFeynman. Delightful read in today's #365DaysOfScience.

Oppenheimer’s Letter of Recommendation for Richard Feynman (1943) by @JorgenVeisdal in @Cantor_Paradise link.medium.com/uvcS1eytKbb

Harnessing CRISPR technology in treating metastatic cancer. This is the first study of its kind to establish that CRISPR genome editing system can be used to treat cancer effectively in a living animal. #365DaysOfScience genengnews.com/news/crispr-te…

GFP-based Touching Nexus works by tethering GFP protein on the membrane of a cell and a receiver on the other cell. With the passing of the GFP from sender to receiver the cell illuminates and will testify physical contacts between cells. #365DaysOfScience
elifesciences.org/articles/61080

Today is the birth anniversary of one of greatest scientists of pre-independence era who is better known for his seminal discovery of the Crescograph, a device that measures responses in plant cells in response to external stimuli.
#365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday Sir JC Bose.

While researchers and policymakers are attentive to new drugs and awareness about disease, it's pertinent to talk about the stigma associated with the pandemic on #WorldAIDSDay.
Stats speak for themselves & a long road to travel. #365DaysOfScience
📷: @WHO

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1216772925375664128?s=19

Fascinating stats of the top companies and drugs sold last year. Also gladdening to see monoclonal antibodies occupying top spots. @Roche @Novartis @pfizer
#365DaysOfScience

nature.com/articles/d4157…

The fascinating analysis of the architecture of benign and aggressive tumours reveals the role of mechanical forces driving the alterations in tumour architecture, stiffness, and collective influence on disease progression.

#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Epigenetic regulation of the hallmarks of ageing and looking for ways to reverse it is a hot topic. In this paper "the cells seemed to respond to the reprogramming factors by fine-tuning their gene expression to match a youthful state"
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/r…

In cell culture, FBS is the preferred serum as growth supplements. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the effects of Human Serum on growth behavior, migration & invasion of two cervical cancer cell lines in comparison to FBS.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

They observed no significant differences between HS and FBS concerning proliferation and metabolic activity in the abovementioned cell lines. However, HS significantly enhances invasion and spheroid formation.
📷: @ElsevierConnect
#365DaysOfScience

They conclude with "It cannot be excluded that the high failure rate in preclinical research might, at least partly, result from the fact that human cells are confronted with the serum of a foreign species."
#365DaysOfScience

This is a resourceful link on @UCIrvine website on the usage and differences among different vacutainers for blood-based tests. The additives in the tubes make the differences and colour-coding simplifies the distinguishment.
📷: @Wix
#365DaysOfScience
pathology.uci.edu/services/speci…

There’s an ecosystem beneath your feet—and it needs protection, new report says. The underappreciated soil biodiversity needs more study for its role in sustainable development. #365DaysOfScience

sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/t…

A wonderful initiative of @EBItraining to make the content available for the Metagenomic bioinformatics course. Such initiatives will serve a great deal of help to researchers who could not attend such courses. Thanks, @emblebi. #365DaysOfScience
ftp.ebi.ac.uk/pub/training/2…

Distant metastasis is the major reason for cancer-related deaths. The characterization & correlation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with metastasis, malignancy, & survivability. Authors present short term lung colonization assay here.
#365DaysOfScience
jove.com/t/56761/the-es…

The detailed protocol and the description video is embedded in this @JoVEJournal article. This is very resourceful for researchers interested in evaluating in vivo lung colonization by CTCs in distant organs. #365DaysOfScience

Tributes to one of the genius of virology whose curiosity with the Rous sarcoma virus having RNA genome getting reverse transcribed to DNA was crucial in the discovery of reverse transcriptase.
#365DaysOfScience
Happy Birthday Dr Howard Temin. 💐💐

https://twitter.com/imtryam/status/1217105137899950082

🐐Scientist who steered the ‘golden age’ of microbiology. Born OTD in 1843, he discovered anthrax disease and bacteria behind tuberculosis/cholera. Also set up postulates, to prove that a disease is caused by a specific organism.
Happy Birthday Robert Koch.
#365DaysOfScience

Birthday greetings to "The quiet revolutionary" Emmanuelle Charpentier. Born OTD Dr Charpentier along with @doudna_lab showed that it is possible to make targeted cuts in a genome or to modify a sequence using CRISPR-Cas9 tech.
Happy Birthday @e__charpentier!
#365DaysOfScience

Dr @e__charpentier and @doudna_lab being awarded this year's @NobelPrize in Chemistry. Congratulations and Birthday greetings again.
#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1337084028147671040?s=20

@e__charpentier @doudna_lab @NobelPrize A very crisply written piece on the life and times of Kary Mullis. This is an honest assessment of the person largely known for the controversial statements.
#365DaysOfScience
by @wudanyan in @elemental elemental.medium.com/the-nobel-priz…

@MerriamWebster providing detailed information on the history of the word and suitable scholars who can prefix the 'Dr' title before their name. This excerpt from @CMAJ might be relevant for @WSJ and to put the controversy to rest.

#365DaysOfScience

https://twitter.com/MerriamWebster/status/1337841415116763138?s=19

In today's #365DaysOfScience I read this @jclinicalinvest review article on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Authors discuss in detail the process of EMT, its classification, and association of EMT with cancer progression and metastasis.
jci.org/articles/view/…

'Usherin' protein found in microscopic capsule around fingers' nerve cells is a critical protein enabling our sense of touch. USH2A gene coding for Usherin knockout study in mice resulted in less reception of vibration, as found in human.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/p…

Structural data collected from cryo-electron microscopy reveal the working of bedaquiline against drug-resistant tuberculosis by binding to ATP synthase of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cues from 2017 Chemistry @NobelPrize.

#365DaysOfScience
nature.com/articles/d4158…

What happens when two greats meet. I wish I could understand the works of these geniuses. Pleasant read in today's #365DaysOfScience.

When Feynman met Dirac by @JorgenVeisdal in @Cantor_Paradise
link.medium.com/nCzDnM6Thcb

The potential use of mRNA vaccine outnumber challenges associated with it. But it certainly has broadened our understanding. The list attached includes the mRNA vaccines under trial for different diseases.
#365DaysOfScience
sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/m…